Evolution
by Brother Brain
Summary: In the distant future, humanity has traveled through the void of space, exploring, colonizing and terraforming distant planets. Eventually interest fell upon Shear, an uninhabited planet rich with resources. It was a wonderful discovery, until the arrival of the monsters. Now an elite team of hunters must battle the alien hordes for the fate of Shear. A novelization of Evolve.
1. Chapter 1

The marsh strider grazed peacefully in the underbrush. Several others of its herd moved around it, alternating eating and keeping watch for predators. This one strayed farther from the group, sniffing for juicier plants. The strider heard a noise in the nearby shrubs and froze. Its head came up and looked around towards the noise. It was too late.

A massive shape launched itself out of the bushes and tackled it to the ground. The rest of the herd scattered from the sudden appearance of a predator in their midst. The first strider bleated in panic and tried to right itself, but the predator slammed its claws into its neck, killing it instantly.

The beast sniffed the carcass, then snorted and moved away. Such a creature was barely a tenth of its size and would provide little meat. Already, carrion birds began to circle in the sky above the kill. The towering creature ran towards a nearby cliff, ignoring the rest of the herd except to swipe at any who moved too close.

It scaled the cliff in seconds, digging its claws into the stone. The death of that creature had been a momentary diversion, but its true prey was near. The beast had spent weeks deep in the wilderness, hunting and devouring the creatures that lived there and slowly tracing the scent of its prey until it could find their nests.

It was near these nests now. It could smell them and the unnatural scents that surrounded their territories. It startled another group of prey animals as it moved to end of the cavern. It opened high on a cliff face, overlooking a cove filled with the nests of its prey. The beast leapt into the air, slamming into the ground amid a herd of striders. It was time to hunt.

* * *

Jubal looked up from his beer. "Did you guys hear that?" he asked. Verena and Donato looked at each other and shook their heads. The Ebonstar soldiers were leaning against the wall of the town pub, which was located on top of a small cliff jutting out from a rock wall. "You must be hearing things" Donato said, "Have you been spiking your drink with something stronger then alcohol?"

As he spoke, a pair of canyon striders ran into the open space the pub overlooked, letting out their 'scared' trilling noise. "Alright, maybe there's something." Verena conceded. If they had been experienced in studying the subtle patterns of animal's behavior, they might have noticed something was off. But they were soldiers, more accustomed to preparing for enemies coming out of ships firing guns.

"Maybe a blitzer got past the fence again." Jubal muttered as he shrugged his jetpack onto his back and grabbed his submachinegun from where it was leaning against the wall. He jumped off the edge of the cliff, activating the thrusters at the last second to break his fall. "They should just get around to hiring some Planet Tamers already" Verana responded as she and Donato moved to the edge of the cliff, hands on their pistols as they watched him move towards the edge of the clearing, towards the bridge the canyon striders had come from.

He raised an eyebrow as he heard the sound of the harpoon traps they had set up near the bridge go off. It should be a simple matter to go put whatever had set them off out of its misery. His inquisitive expression became a frown as he heard a series of electrical clunking noises. _That sounded like an energy cable snapping. But to break one of those…_

His thoughts were cut off as the source of the noise came around the corner, its footsteps shaking the ground. Behind him, he could hear gasps from the other two soldiers. His gun suddenly felt woefully underpowered.

* * *

At his post at the energy fence sealing off the nearby canyon, Mikhal's head snapped up as he heard the sound of gunfire. It wasn't nearby, and he hadn't heard any ships landing. He looked over to the pub where the soldiers often spent their downtime. Yes, that was where it was coming from. He could see the tiny lights of tracer fire and… was that a flame thrower?

He put a hand to his helmet and called the members of his squad currently on break. "Jubal, are you there?" Nothing. "Verena, Donato, respond? What's going on over there?" No response. Something was wrong.

"Martinus, Vitor, with me!" he barked, "The rest of you, hold this position." "Yes sir!" the other five soldiers chorused. He ran with the two soldiers he had selected out of the canyon mouth and towards the regulator. He was planning their approach when a creature walked around the edge of a small mesa.

It was like nothing he had seen on this planet, or any other for that matter. It stood on two legs, almost taller than the rock formation, despite its hunched stature. Two huge arms, similar to those of the ancient Earth apes, ended in four fingered hands with massive claws. Claws that, he noted, were dripping with blood. Jagged spikes protruded from its back and shoulders and tipped a large tail. Leathery grey skin that appeared scaly in patches covered its body, and it all seemed to be lit with blood red light from within. The head was the worst. Armored with thick bony plates with a spiked crest at the back, with a mouth full of jagged teeth and glowing yellow eyes, it looked like something out of a nightmare.

For a brief, tension-filled moment, neither side moved. The beast broke the stillness. It bellowed a challenge as it tore a huge boulder from the ground almost casually. "Scatter!" yelled Mikhal as he dove to the side. The stone missed him but slammed into Vitor, tossing him back with the sound of breaking bones. "Martinus, flank it!" he screamed as he let off a burst of fire from his rifle at the charging creature.

When he didn't hear a response he looked over his shoulder to see Martinus running away as fast as he could, completely ignoring the prone form of Vitor. He bit off a curse and turned to face the oncoming beast, only see it launch itself into the air over him. It slammed into the ground just behind Martinus and immediately pounced on him. Martinus screamed as the beast pinned him to the ground with one claw and slammed the other down on him. It ignored the gunfire from Mikhal as it savaged the fallen soldier.

After a few more blows, Martinus fell silent and the creature whirled to face Mikhal. He activated his jetpack to dodge backward and opened fire, only to curse as his rifle clicked empty. It roared and ran towards him. As he fumbled with the new clip, it slowed and reared back its head. A moment later, as the clip slammed home, a wave of fire burst from its mouth and enveloped Mikhal.

He screamed and faltered in his flight, too consumed by panic to act rationally. He clipped a rock formation and spiraled to the ground, losing his grip on his rifle as he did so. The fire reduced to a smolder, he tried to crawl away. There was a dock nearby, a dock with water. If he could get to that, he would be safe from the fire. His efforts to escape were halted as a massive clawed hand seized him and lifted him into the air. The beast slammed him into a wall, driving the air from his lungs and breaking several bones. It examined him for a moment, then opened its jaws wide and blasted him with fire. The tiny figure writhed for a moment, then went still.

It stepped away from the stone, letting the figure fall to the ground. It sniffed the air and moved to a nearby building. It moved along the edge, examining the structure, then rose to its full height and slammed its fists into the ceiling. It beat against the structure with its claws and boulders until it managed to tear a hole in the side, revealing the inner mechanisms of the building. It shoved its arm into the gap, clawing and smashing anything within reach. Unsatisfied, it stepped back and blasted the interior with fire.

* * *

The three soldiers Mikhal had left at their post shifted nervously. They had heard more gunfire and what sounded like several explosions, but nothing more since. "Sir?" one of them called over the radio, "What happened? Sir!" They heard the sound of another explosion, followed by a much closer sound. The sound of an energy fence deactivating.

Energy fences were nearly impervious, utilizing Rank-Rajat fields only vulnerable to extreme fire power. Though they were often used as defensive measure against pirates or Hub raiders, the colonists of Shear had found that they were just as useful to keep out the dangerous wildlife that Shear had in abundance. One such example was the crowbill sloth that had taken up residence just on the other side of this one. Crowbill sloths were testy at the best of times, and were currently in the 'murder everything' stage of the mating season.

The sloth reared up onto its hind legs and tail in a warning stance and bellowed a challenge at the soldiers. Instinct and training kicked in as all three of them opened fire on the animal. The bullets did little more than enrage the creature and it dropped to all fours and charged them. The first it trampled underfoot, hardly noticing he was there. The second dodged the charges and sprayed it with fire from the side. It bellowed again in anger and turned to attack her. She tried to dodge again, only to find she had backed into the canyon wall. It reared up again and slammed both forelimbs onto her.

The final soldier turned to run, only to come face to face with a massive creature that had snuck up behind them while the sloth served as a distraction. He barely had time to scream as it seized him in its jaws and abruptly shook its head.

The sloth noticed the new challenger and moved to attack. It didn't get far when a boulder slammed into its head, knocking it to the ground. As the wounded creature tried to right itself, the predator moved closer and stabbed its claws into its throat and tore upwards.

As the dying creature fell limp, the monster moved away. It circled through the area searching for more prey. Satisfied that the nearby homes were empty, it climbed the highest rock formation in the area and roared at the sky, releasing a jet of flame as it did so. This attack was not the only one, but one of many its pack would carry out. The Goliath cast its gaze over the larger structures at the mouth of the cove. Soon Shear would belong to the monsters.


	2. Chapter 2

Shear was burning. While half the planet remained dark, still in its night cycle, the other side glowed with bright oranges and reds. Occasionally a small pinprick of even brighter light would appear among the fire, denoting a nuclear detonation. If one was patient, they would notice that the fire was spreading, ever so slowly, to the dark half of the planet.

Above this view, dozens of massive evacuation transports and even more rescue shuttles swarmed around the planet in a frenzy of activity. A few hundred kilometers away, space rippled like water and another transport emerged into real-space. From the outside, this transport ship was nothing special, identical to any of the others hovering above the planet. But what made this one unique was its cargo.

In the rear hold of the transport sat a dropship. It seemed like the miniature of the ship that carried it, with two main thrusters at the back and a spherical reactor at the front, just behind the cockpit. Unlike the transport, it was built for agility and utility, with six smaller thrusters angled downward on each side and a series of sensor antennae and spotlights that gave it an insectoid appearance. High on the prow, silver letters spelled out the name _Laurie-Anne_. Though the model of ship was nearly forty years old, anyone familiar with Leading Edge would recognize it as the ship of William Cabot, one of the most renowned Planet Tamers ever.

* * *

Within the _Laurie-Anne_ , one might expect a storm of activity as hardened soldiers and Planet Tamers prepared to drop. Equipment checks, intel reviews, strategy discussions, and barked orders would be the norm. And of course, the entire procession would be overseen by a grizzled and experienced soldier.

That was not what was happening. In the common room, the majority of the twelve person team were engaged in activities one might call frivolous. Several were clustered around the main table playing a card game in chairs as mismatched as the players. A few others were engaged in a discussion regarding the authenticity of the stories regarding Griffin Hallsey and an orion terrasaur.

Above them, their leaders were having a conversation with the aforementioned grizzled and experienced soldier. "I know you said that's all you know, but I'm saying that's not good enough." William Cabot, ex-hub marshal, ex- and now current Planet Tamer, stared down the hologram of the Ebonstar Commander. Though he wasn't a very large man and was getting on in the years, Cabot still had a fire within him.

The commander sighed and rubbed the long scar that ran across his face and through his eye, a bit of a nervous habit. "And I'm telling you again, that's all we know!" he snapped, "These things, whatever they are, tore through our defenses in days. By the time we knew they were there, our long range surveillance equipment was down. All we have left is on-site security footage, and it's understandably difficult to find people willing to go retrieve the data."

Behind Cabot, his second-in-command stepped forward. Even outside of his armor, James Parnell cut an impressive figure. Standing head and shoulders taller than Cabot and heavily muscled from his years as a Sol Guard trooper and mercenary, Parnell had a way of getting people to listen to him. "We know that gathering intel is difficult, given the current state of things" he said, "But I also know I don't want to go in blind. That's how you end up dead."

The commander sighed and rubbed his scar again. He seemed to be doing that a lot. "I can't get you any more information then what I've already given you", he said, "But I can give you an opportunity to gather your own." Cabot perked up at that as the commander typed something on a console just outside of the projection. A moment later his own console pinged to notify him of a message. "Those are coordinated to a small outpost near the edge of the attacks. We lost contact with the soldiers stationed there a few hours ago, so at the very least you can investigate whatever evidence is left." The commander said.

Parnell raised an eyebrow. "And at most?" The commander gave an uneasy shrug. "At most", he said, "The thing that killed them might still be in the area." Cabot folded his arms. "We'll take that chance. Anything else?" The commander rolled his eyes. "Of course", he said sarcastically, "When I said that was all I knew, I was just withholding a detailed list of all their strengths and weaknesses. No, there's nothing else."

Cabot nodded and grinned without humor. "Very well then." He said, "I'll leave you to your work commander York." The commander nodded briskly, then hesitated before cutting the call. "For what it's worth", he said, "Good luck."

The hologram of the commander faded, to be replaced by one of Shear. "Are you sure about this Marshal?" asked Bucket, speaking for the first time since they had begun their conversation with the commander. A cylindrical yellow head with a single blue eye rotated on the control panel to face him. "These creatures overwhelmed Colonial Security forces in less than a week. Clearly, we're dealing with something far beyond ordinary wildlife."

Cabot leaned on the projector table, his eyes fixed intently on the image of Shear. "Clearly." He said, almost to himself. He turned to Parnell. "What do you think?"

Parnell glanced up from the tablet he was examining. Per Cabot's contract with NORDITA, they had been provided with a list of all the major facilities in the area they were assigned to assist. After they learned of the situation, they also received Ebonstar's file on the threat. Not that it was much, just a blurry photo, a one sentence summary, and a codename: Goliath.

"I think we should do this carefully" he replied, "One four man team. One person to track and corral it, one to kill it, one to keep them alive while they do it, and one to pick up the slack." Cabot nodded. Though he was far more experienced with dealing with wildlife, Parnell was more knowledgeable about military tactics and stratagems.

"Who do you propose to make up this team?" Bucket asked. "I'll go" Cabot said almost at the same time. Parnell shook his head. "I understand you want to lead from the front, but take it from me: sometimes it's better to let someone else head up the charge." Cabot looked like he wanted to argue, but conceded the point. "So do you have a team in mind?" he asked.

"Well for tracking, I was thinking Griffin. He's experienced, so that should give them an edge should worst come to worst." Cabot nodded. "Agreed. And for the medic?" Parnell shifted his weight. "I think Laz would be a good choice. If this turns out to be worse than we thought, he could help lessen the blow."

Cabot considered for a moment, then shook his head. "His tactics leave him exposed. Better we keep him in reserve in case the team gets into trouble then to put him on the front line." "Perhaps Ms. Wolski would be a better choice" Bucket piped up, "Her dossier shows that she is experienced under fire and is a competent field medic". Parnell nodded slowly. "That's true", he said, "And with the whole CIG9 thing, we need to know where she stands." "We should send Markov too" Cabot said, "For similar reasons. His attitude towards potential death is… unhealthy, to say the least." "Agreed", said Bucket, "We need to know if he'll dive towards danger or see this through."

Parnell nodded. "And we've already established that you aren't going" he told Cabot. "I would be the logical choice" said Bucket, "With my mind-state stored in the ship, I would survive even should my platform be destroyed." Parnell considered the idea for a moment, then shook his head. "You run your mobile platform by downloading part of your mind into it, right?" "It's a tad more complex, but that is correct" Bucket replied. "So if the platform is destroyed, you lose that part of your mind permanently?" Parnell continued. "Correct…" Bucket replied, beginning to see where this was going. "Even if you survive mostly intact, I'd rather not be flying around in a ship where the pilot is missing part of their mind." "I assure you, it has no long term effects. I can restore a backup and reconstruct the mind fragment using vestigial telemetry data within a day!" "That's true" said Cabot, "But we're going to be here for a while. A day might be too long." "Very well…" Bucket grumbled. "So that leaves Hank." Parnell conclude, "It's always a good idea to have another point of view when going into an engagement."

Cabot nodded and stepped back from the projector table. "Take us in, Bucket" The dropship hummed beneath his feet as Bucket prepped the ship for takeoff. Cabot reached over to a control pad and entered a command. In the common room below, the viewscreen flickered on, displaying the burning planet below them. The conversations stopped and the card game was abandoned as the hunters turned to look at the image.

"What could have done this?" asked Caira, her copy of _Field Guide to the Far Arm_ forgotten. "Apparently", Cabot called, grabbing their attention, "The things we were hired to kill." He paced for a moment, gathering his thoughts. "I just got off the line with Colony Command. This is no longer a wildlife problem." The whole team watched him in silence. "It's a full scale evacuation. Gear up – we drop in 5."

* * *

AN: I wish I could tell you that most updates will be faster then this. I really do... Unfortunately, this is likely going to be the rate of new chapters most of the time. I should have another one done soon since I feel this one was too insubstantial to really count on its own. Feedback is appreciated, especially regarding how well I do dialogue, as that tends to come out clunky with me.


	3. Chapter 3

"Here's the plan." said Cabot. He and Parnell stood across the projector table from Markov, Val, Griffin, and Hank. The image on display was currently a relief map of a small population center in a cove, as well as the surrounding area.

"This is primarily an intel mission." Parnell said, "So killing the target isn't the priority. If an engagement becomes inevitable, the rest of the crew will be on standby to reinforce you if necessary."

"That said" Cabot continued, "Here's the situation. This town went dark a few hours ago. The nearby facilities are still functioning, so we think the attacker may still be in the area." He gestured to a point in the cave system to the west of the cove and two green dots appeared. "We'll drop Griffin and Val here. We think this is how it got to the area, so see if you can pick up its trail or cut off its escape."

Val and Griffin nodded their assent. Cabot looked over the table at Markov and Hank. "Since you two are packing more firepower, you'll be deployed alone." Markov grinned. "Only me, against an unknown beast? They will write songs of this!"

"No one'll write songs if you commit suicide by animal" Hank commented as Cabot gestured at the town. "Hank, you'll be here. Check out the area, see if you can figure out where it went after trashing the town."

He pointed to the mouth of the cove and a fourth dot appeared. "This is the easiest path from the town to the nearby facility." Cabot said, "Markov will be here to cut if off if it tries to go there. Any questions?"

"What's our time frame?" Val asked. "Time isn't exactly on our side." Parnell said, "You'll have an hour, then we're picking you up to move on to the main mission." "Which is what exactly?" asked Griffin, "We were hired to thin out some angry wildlife, but now we're planning for an evacuation."

"The situation… worsened while we were in transit." Cabot explained, "Now we've got five days to cover the colonist's escape." "And we're expected to evac the whole damn colony?" Hank asked with disbelief, "Hope these folks're used to disappointment." "Right now they're used to getting eaten." Cabot replied, "Anyone we get on the transport is a win."

"We are nearly there." Bucket interrupted, "ETA one minute." "You'd better get down to the hold." Parnell said, "We'd hate to start the hunt without you."

* * *

The dropship roared above the jungle, stopping only to drop two specks from its underbelly. Within the ship, Cabot and Parnell watched the viewscreen, as did the other hunters assembled below them in the common room. It currently displayed four images, video feed transmitted from the cameras attached to each team member. Two showed the interior of the dropship, while the other two showed the jungle.

"We have boots on the ground" Val radioed, "Let's get this manhunt – er, monsterhunt started." "What do you see?" asked Parnell. "We've got some tracks here, three or so hours old based on the moisture of the soil." Griffin said, "They don't match any of the prints from the local beasties in the database, so I'm guessing they belong to our mystery critter." He was quite for a moment as he reviewed the area. "Abrasion to the trees too, about twelve meters up. Whatever it is, it's big."

The spectators heard Val whistle quietly in the background. "We sure we can take this? This isn't exactly my line of work." "Ah, don't worry." Griffin replied, "I've killed things plenty bigger than this. And I only got nearly killed a few times." "Great" she muttered.

* * *

The dropship stopped for a moment above the small town to disgorge another hunter, then continued onward to the mouth of the cove. Hank took a moment to gather himself and looked around, sweeping his modified laser cutter back and forth.

From a glance, Hank wouldn't appear to be the type of man to volunteer to hunt a massive alien beast. With his mining outfit and industrial labor exoskeleton, as well as a fairly impressive beard, he looked more like the person who would be driving a large truck or swigging beer, hopefully not at the same time. What you couldn't tell from a glance was his years of experience as a Planet Tamer. And a few years before that of an astro-miner and space trucker, but that's beside the point.

"I'm here. What now?" he asked into his comms. "Investigate the area", Bucket replied, "Try to find clues as to the capabilities of our quarry." "Well no shit." Hank replied as he walked around a nearby body. "There's a bunch of dead folks here. Most're torn apart and one's burnt. What's that tell ya Sherlock?"

Bucket replied with an electronic sigh. "There's tracks here too." Hank continued, "All mixed up. Hard to tell where it came from or where it went." He followed a trail of tracks to a nearby cliff. Looking up its face he saw several large gouges and claw marks.

"I think I found a trail." Hank said, "I think it went into the caves. Don't think I really like that idea, fighting it where my biggest gun don't work." He activated his jetpack and launched himself up the side of the cliff, landing in the cave mouth. "I'm going in anyway. Send help if I die, before if you can."

* * *

In the hold of the dropship, Markov was restless. A giant of a man, he was shorter but stockier then Parnell. He wore a modified SALGE suit, in addition to a Pitre model jetpack topped by a pair of small telsa coils crackling with energy. He busied himself by checking his weapons again, the cybernetic that replaced his right eye whirring as it magnified the image.

First was his Volochyok-PV assault rifle, pried from the hands of a dead mercenary during the battle of Sterling Colony. Capable of holding 48 bullets per clip, 72 since he modified it, it hadn't failed him in all its years of use. Though clearly, he thought with amusement, it had failed its previous owner.

Next was a 40-MW Allied Orbital Model P18 arc welding tool, modified to the point where it was now more of a lightning gun. Modification was something of a hobby for Markov. It ionized a target with a non-visible laser, allowing the bolt to pass through the path of least resistance. Following that, the auto-targeting system would paint successive targets with the laser to chain the effect of the electricity, distinguishing friendlies using an IFF based on comm chips.

His final weapon was an actual piece of military tech: several Allodyne Micro GT arc mines. Capable of being stored in a compact form, they could be placed and armed in seconds, allowing for easy area denial.

Markov had used these weapons for years as a mercenary. They were nearly a part of him and he could tell the perfect instance to use each of them. With these, he was ready for anything. Naturally, as soon as he thought that, the plan fell apart.

His comms unit was suddenly filled with a mix of profanities and screaming, most of it from Hank. Beneath his feet he felt the ship shift as it abruptly turned. "What is happening?" he yelled. "Mr. Allen has made first contact with the enemy." Buckets voice echoed in the room. "He is incapacitated. We will drop you nearby to assist him."

A grim smile split Markov's face. True, a man was down. But soon he would make contact with the enemy, and blood would be spilt. He didn't really care whose.

* * *

The dropship deposited him on the border of the town and flew onward. "You must find Hank." Bucket told Markov. "I will find Hank." he affirmed. "I'll pick up Val and Griffin and bring the ship around." Bucket continued. "And I will find Hank." Markov repeated, "He fought well, alone against the monster. He deserves a timely rescue."

He surveyed the area and checked the readout in his robotic eye. He had a gauge for the charge on his jetpack, ammunition counts for his weapons, a counter for how many mines he had deployed, a compass, a readout for his physical state… there, a locator beacon. The signal flashed red to indicate the status of the individual. No doubt this was Hank's.

He made his way to the cliff and launched himself upwards. Markov walked into the caves, pointing his assault rifle down each tunnel as he came upon it. He paused as he heard the sound of snarling. Markov quietly switched his rifle for his lightning gun. As he peered around the corner. "Bucket," he whispered into his comms, "Maggie said trapjaws are scavengers, correct?" "Well, they are pack hunters and will attack smaller animals," Bucket replied, "But yes, they do primarily feed on the remains left by larger predators. Why?"

Markov walked around the corner, casting an eye across the massive body of a crowbill sloth and the pack of trapjaws surrounding it. "I believe I have found the creature's latest meal." he said. The trapjaws stopped their meal and turned to look at him as he continued to walk forward. A second later, they snarled and began to run at him. Markov's only response was to point the lighting gun at them and pull the trigger. Two seconds later, the last trapjaw fell dead to the ground.

Markov continued past the bodies and towards the beacon. As he got closer he began to hear Hank talking. "Hey! Don't forget about your old buddy Hank!" He rounded a corner to find Hank laying in a small cave holding a hand over his side, surrounded by a fairly large pool of blood. "What's the matter," Markov called as he walked over to him, "Did you trip on your beard?"

"Jokes over, get your ass over here." Hank replied. Markov knelt beside him and produced a Salvertron trauma unit. About the size of a fist, these units were designed to patch up a wounded combatant. While it wouldn't fix the damage, it would keep him together long enough to get to an auto-doc.

"Where's everybody else?" Hank asked as Markov pulled him to his feet. "I am bringing them now!" Bucket said over the radio, "I'll supply rendezvous coordinates." "Well hot damn" Hank said to Markov, "That monster's more'n you and I could handle, I tell you what." "You saw the beast we have come to kill." Markov replied. A statement, not a question. "Yep." Hank replied, "And let me tell you something brother, it is big and pissed off." "Hehe, like ME!" Markov said. "Yeah" Hank sighed, "Yeah, I kinda knew you were gonna say that."

The pair made their way to the cave opening overlooking the cove. "Dropping off Val and Griffin." Bucket called over the radio. The dropship flew into the cove and dropped the two hunters from its underside. Unlike before, it stayed and circled the area. Hank and Markov launched themselves into the air, using short bursts of their jetpacks to slow their fall, landing just besides the other two hunters.

"Boys. You miss us?" Val asked. Behind her, Griffin moved between different tracks, prodding the bottom then moving on. "We did indeed Valerie." Markov replied, "No sane man would fight a monster without you." "I bet you say that to all the girls." She replied with a smirk. "I do not!" Markov said earnestly. "I didn't mean…" Val said with irritation, "Let's find the monster."

"Here," Griffin said, "These tracks are fresh. It came this way after meeting Hank." "I'm tellin you, that sucker was big. Like a house big!" Hank insisted. "It was", Griffin replied, "Those scrapes on the trees are high up. And this…" He gestured to the side of a rock structure. "These are claw marks from climbing." "Big and agile", Val said, "Not a good combination."

"How are we on time?" Griffin called over his shoulder. "Pickup is in ten." Val replied. "We should have time to at least find this thing." he commented to himself.

The group moved into the town, following the tracks. As they went, they saw several other bodies. "They fought against the beast," Markov commented, "A shame it was not enough." They stopped as Griffin held up a hand. He gestured to something in front of them.

As they got closer, they could see it was a canyon strider, one of the native prey animals of Shear. What made it unusual was the fact that it, and the surrounding area, was blackened and smoldering. "This is fresh," Griffin said, "It would have gone out within an hour."

The others perked up at this, raising their guns to watch the surrounding area. Griffin unslung a metallic pole topped with a triangular block. While some hunters liked fancy equipment like sound amplifiers or remote survey drones, Griffin preferred tried-and-true methods. He planted the sound spike in the ground, the block on top extending to its active position and exposing the audio sensors. A moment later, a signal appeared on the hunters HUDs.

"There", Griffin whispered, "It's up there." He pointed to a cave high up on the cliff face. "Are you sure?" Val whispered. "I set the sound spikes to only react to critters big enough to make those marks we saw earlier." he replied quietly. "Why are we whispering?" Hank whispered. "Whatever we're after, it's a predator." Griffin replied, "They tend to have good senses for finding prey. If we don't stay quiet…"

A roar echoed from the cave. "That." Griffin said, abandoning the attempt at stealth. A massive grey shape launched itself from the opening and down at them. "Move!" he yelled as he launched himself backward with his jetpack.

The group of hunters scattered as the creature landed where they had been standing. In the dropship above, the rest of the group leaned closer to the screen. The images jumped chaotically as the people transmitting them attempted to escape the beast. After a moment, the image transmitted from Markov's eye enlarged to fill the screen, allowing for a more reliable video feed.

The beast displayed on the screen was gigantic, at least four times as tall as a person. The head was encased in bony plates and jagged spines erupted from the back. Looking closely, they could see bullet scars across its chest and head, testament to the effort of the Ebonstar troopers.

Cabot eyed the hunters around him. Caira was scribbling notes, though where she got the notepad from he had no idea. Maggie's eyes were glued to the screen, her hands clenched into fists. Parnell was watching the video feed intently, no doubts planning future tactics. "Lazarus, Hyde, Abe", Cabot commanded, "Get to the hold in case they need backup. Bucket, see if you can pull up external security feeds." On the hull of the ship, the security cameras whirred as they swiveled to try and monitor the battle.

The dropship circled the fight like a massive mechanical vulture, not that the combatants noticed. "Hank, you were not joking!" Markov yelled as he jetpacked farther from the beast, spraying bullets as he went. "No shit!" Hank yelled in reply.

The monster blasted fire at them as they moved farther from its lading point, then dropped to all fours and charged directly at them. Hank flew above it, while Val and Griffin dove to the side. Markov attempted to break its charge by firing on its head as it ran, a plan which proved futile as it tossed him aside.

It rose to attack him while he was on the ground, only to flinch as a loud crack rang through the air. A crater appeared in the plates of its head, a spiderweb of cracks sprawling outward. On the cliff to the side, Val reloaded her sniper rifle.

It roared and tore a boulder from the ground, hurling it at her like it weighed nothing. Val dropped flat to the ground, barely avoiding the stone. It launched itself at the cliff she stood on, ignoring the hail of fire from Griffin and Hank.

Val leapt into the air, avoiding the snapping jaws of the beast by only a few centimeters. As it drew breath to blast fire again, she dove backward off the edge of the stone. The fire scorched the air above her, which she responded to by firing as she fell, punching a hole in its shoulder.

It launched itself forward to crush her against the ground, only to be pulled short in mid-air. It turned to see an energy cable connecting it to Griffin. It tried to drag him forward, but the harpoon gun's anti-displacement systems held firm. It roared in rage and swiped at the cable with its claws, severing it in an instant. As it did so, it noticed that the Hank had stopped firing at it.

A moment later, an object fell from the sky onto it. It exploded, shattering its spines and shredding its skin. Many others soon followed, slamming into it and the ground around it. It roared again, this time in pain, and leapt forward off the stone platform… and into the impromptu minefield Markov had created.

The mines flashed as it entered their proximity, jolting it with massive amounts of electricity. As it moved to escape, a trio of small objects impacted its back. It felt its movements slow and its limbs grow heavy. It growled and blasted the surrounding area with fire, destroying the remaining mines.

"You want me beast?" Markov yelled, "Here I am!" The monster turned to find him at ground level rather than the cliffs his companions were on. It roared and charged at him, ignoring the others.

Its attack was cut short as another harpoon slammed into its back, along with another set or tranquilizer darts from Val. Markov grinned and aimed his lightning gun at the trapped monster. It roared and blasted him with fire, only for the flames to wash over his armor. What the void of space couldn't touch, fire had little chance against.

Markov responded by pulling the trigger, blasting the beast with thousands of joules of electricity. It swiped at him with its claws, too consumed by anger and pain to break the harpoon. Bursts from Hank's laser cutter slammed into its back, damaging the tissues exposed by the orbital barrage. Val circled around the monster, alternating shots from her sniper rifle and her tranq gun.

One particularly skilled shot slammed home in the monster's eye. It bellowed with pain as it was rendered half blind. The beast launched itself forward at Markov, its muscles fueled by rage. It stalled for a moment, then pulled free as the harpoon was torn out of the weakened flesh it was embedded in.

Before Markov could react, it snatched him up in one massive hand and tossed him to the ground. It snarled with joy at his pained cry and seized a boulder from the ground. It paused for a moment to savor the smell of fear from its helpless prey and slammed the rock down upon him.

Its snarl of victory died as the dust and embers cleared to reveal Markov standing unharmed, surrounded by a blue shimmering field. "I am invulnerable!" he boasted before spraying the beast with bullets from his assault rifle.

It howled in anger at the continued survival of its foe and leapt into the air, aiming to crush him beneath it. Markov ignored its actions, continuing his attacks. It slammed nearly on top of him, causing his shield to flicker and collapse. Before it could capitalize on the vulnerability, the shield reappeared, this time sustained by a thin blue beam linking Markov to Hank. A second green beam came from Val, healing the wounds he had already received.

The beast lashed out at Markov with its claws, hoping to crush or cut him. But the shield was persistent, only flickering off for a few moments before being replaced, while the healing beam ensured any wounds he received were short lived. And all the while, lightning and bullets wounded its front while Griffin shot it from behind.

The beast was consumed by hatred for this prey that was wounding it, but not enough to completely destroy its capacity for thought. It could feel its body weakening and knew that it could not continue this fight for much longer. It knew one of the prey could protect the others, while another prey could heal them. Currently they were focused on the one prey who dealt such vicious wounds, which meant that they were occupied.

It whirled around and leapt towards Griffin. Caught unprepared by such a change in behavior, he failed to dodge in time and was slammed to the ground. The beast didn't waste time with displays of anger this time, choosing to instead blast the helpless hunter with fire. It noted with satisfaction that the shield did not appear over the prey, nor did the healing beam.

It felt a series of small impacts on its back, followed by the slowness it had grown used to. But such trivial issues could not stop it. It tore a rock from the ground and lifted it above its head, preparing to deal the death blow. Before it could, something fell from the sky and impacted the stone, blowing it to pieces in its claws.

Others soon followed, once more dealing it grievous injuries. It tried to escape, but the tranquilizer in its bloodstream slowed its movement to a crawl. While it struggled, a shot from Val's sniper rifle rang out, robbing it of its other eye.

As the barrage stopped, burst of laser fire and electricity hit it from behind, while the healing beam landed on Griffin. The monster tried to summon the energy to escape or fight, but its injuries were too severe. All it could manage were a few pathetic steps before collapsing, falling from the rock formation as it did so.

Markov holstered his lightning gun and pulled out his assault rifle as he walked over to the mortally injured creature. It was barely breathing, but still shifted its eyeless head to face him as he approached. It growled low in its throat and released a small burst of sparks, but couldn't do anything more.

Markov stopped just before it and raised the assault rifle, aiming at the spot Val had shot at the beginning of the fight. "Big scary monster." he said, "You aren't so tough." He pulled the trigger, emptying the entire clip into its skull. Just to be sure, he reloaded and did it again.

With a groan, the monster went limp. The Goliath was dead.

* * *

Within a minute, the rest of the team was on the ground. The dropship hovered overhead, the gondola lowered to retrieve them once they were finished. Caira was rushing around the body of the Goliath with a duffel bag full of science equipment to take samples.

Its death made the battle even more impressive, as they could now see its wounds. Both eyes missing, a hole blown in its skull, most of the skin on its legs melted from arc mines, electric burns, scorch marks, and bullet holes covering its torso, and its bones and organs exposed from the back proved just how much punishment it would take to bring another one down.

Cabot stood at the back of the group as the others crowded around the body, either congratulating the hunters or admiring the carcass. "So what do you think?" asked Parnell, who stood beside him. As they watched, Caira produced a massive needle and stabbed it into an exposed organ, drawing some fluid or the other.

"I think your tactics work." he replied, "Four is enough to kill one of these things, but ensures if they get into trouble we don't lose the whole team." "You sure?" Parnell asked, "What if these things get tougher? Won't do us any good to lose the team piece by piece instead of all at once."

Cabot shot him a sideways glance as Caira began cutting into the skull, causing the onlookers to recoil to avoid getting sprayed with cranial fluid. "Doubting your own tactics?" he asked. Parnell shifted his weight. "Over confidence in your own capabilities doesn't end well" he responded, a dark look on his face. Cabot placed a hand on his shoulder. "This won't end like _The Sword_."

Parnell was quiet for a moment, watching the rest of the group volunteer each other to be the one to help Caira carry the samples. "Yeah", he replied at length, "I hope so. Lot more riding on this then a few morally grey crewmembers."

"Morally grey?" Cabot asked, "From what Abe told me, you were pretty definite about which side of good you were on." Parnell barked a laugh. "Aren't we all?"

Cabot checked his chrono, then called to the group. "We've got one minute, then we're heading out!" Much grumbling ensued, mostly from Abe and Val, who had been the unlucky few to assist Caira with the samples.

As they finished their business, Maggie approached Cabot. "Got a minute?" she asked. While not a physically impressive woman, with her face paint and necklace of fangs, not to mention the fire that burned within her, she was the kind of person one was inclined to listen to. Or at least stay out of her way. At her heels followed Daisy, a trapjaw that she had kept as a pet for years and one of the few things she cared for. Despite her ferocious appearance, Daisy was a softie and had been declared the team pet by several of the members.

"Of course" he replied, stepping a bit farther away from the group. Maggie stood gathering her thoughts for a moment, her arms crossed. "It's definitely a monster." she said. Cabot raised an eyebrow. "And what else?" he asked, "If that were it, you'd have just said so."

Maggie looked around for a second, as if she was afraid something was hunting them. "It's a monster." she said, "But it's not one I've seen. Not one of the ones on Factor." Cabot sighed quietly. "So there's more?" She nodded. "There's at least two." She said, glancing at the goliath, "Three now. On Factor, I saw monsters made of rock. And another one, one that made other monsters." "So where there's three…" Cabot said. "There might be more." Maggie finished.

Cabot sighed again. "Unfortunate, but not entirely unexpected." Maggie nodded. "I thought you should know." She walked away, clicking her fingers for Daisy to follow.

Cabot looked around the area. Thing had just gotten more complicated. "Time's up!" he yelled, "We're leaving." Within a minute, everyone was back on the dropship, flying back into orbit for their meeting with Commander York.

* * *

The sun had set on the town. Long shadows were cast across the devastated area, hiding the damage of the battle and the corpse of the monster. And from these shadows, another monster emerged.

Dark grey, but smaller than the first, with its spikes nothing more than stubs. It circled the area, its red eyes burning in the darkness. It sniffed around, detecting the evidence from the fight. Ozone coated areas of the ground and stained the lower body of its fallen pack mate. Other subtler chemicals could be smelled mixed amongst its blood, chemicals which fogged the senses and brought numbness. Other parts of the ground, parts blown apart, contained shreds of metal, metal which carried the un-smell of things that descended from the sky. In other places, with senses not quite fitting into the usual five, it could detect the twisting that surrounded the energy fields that blocked off the nests of prey.

It found several trails belonging to prey and smelled the scents they had made. They carried the smell of fear, but their tracks did not show that they had fled. It followed these trails, combining them with other scents to see the events that had led to the death of its pack mate. They had fought, circling with annoyances to prevent any one of them from being the target of the monster's rage.

It followed the tracks backwards now, to find the place they had come from. The paths moved over stones and soil, sometimes vanishing between stone formations or over rivers. Eventually it found their end. There was no nest of origin, just the sudden appearance of tracks. It snarled and circled the area hoping to find clues. It discovered a small thing, smelling of prey and metal, emitting a faint keening noise. The noise seemed familiar, but it couldn't place the memory.

It lifted its head in the air and inhaled, hoping to find… there! The faint un-smell, as well as prey and metal. It was faint, but distinct. Based on the wind, the paths of the prey led to it.

The Goliath snarled and crushed the small object in its claws. It understood now. These prey were not prey, they were hunters. The roles had been reversed.

It dropped to all fours and crept away into the darkness. The pack must know of this.

* * *

An: Well, here's the next chapter! I hope I got the fight scene ok, its hard to find the balance when one side can't land any solid hits without nearly killing the opponent while the other lands dozens that barely do anything. Reviews are appreciated.


	4. Chapter 4

High above Shear, the warship ELSG _Nanjing_ floated like a metallic heart. Dozens of smaller ships darted towards and away from it carrying supplies and soldiers, while others circled it in a protective formation. Within its weapons bays, it contained enough fire power to defeat a medium sized fleet.

But firepower was useless now. The fate of Shear lay in more precise methods. One of these methods was currently docked in its lower bays as its leaders conferred.

William Cabot and James Parnell walked through the halls of the ship, sidestepping frantic soldiers and engineers who rushed by them. "Why are putting up with this?" Parnell asked, "We should be prepping for the next op."

Cabot shot him a look over his shoulder. "Once you've gotten more experience with things like this, you'll realize there is actually a purpose. We went on that info run for a reason."

Parnell raised an eyebrow. "And I suppose you knew this when you were my age and reacted with patience and understanding?" Cabot barked out a laugh. "Oh no, I punched my supervisor in the face."

Ahead of them a set of blast doors guarded by a pair of soldiers blocked the hallway. As they approached the doors slid open to reveal Commander York looking over a tactical map with a woman in a combat uniform.

The commander glanced up as the two men entered. "Lieutenant Commander Park, you are dismissed." She saluted and left the room, nodding to the two as she passed.

The commander straightened up and walked over to them. In person, Cabot noticed that the eye he had taken to be blind was actually a cybernetic. "Gentlemen" York said as he extended a hand to shake.

They shook his hand briskly and walked to the projection table. York punched in a command and a hologram of the Goliath appeared. "Let's cut to the chase." he said, "Shear is lost. With the rate at which they've spread cross the planet and the danger a single one posed, we simply do not have the means to eliminate the threat, or even diminish it to a level where cohabitation is possible."

Cabot nodded. "I guessed as much from the way you described it as an evacuation in our last discussion." The commander shook his head. "When we talked, I thought we could evacuate the colonists then purge the threat so they could resettle. As it is, we have five days before they completely annihilate every major facility on the planet."

"Why not blast them from orbit?" Parnell asked, "With something that size, it shouldn't be hard to target them." York shook his head. "Against a conventional enemy I would do just that. But they have no convoys of supplies or troops to track, and they seem to be purposely avoiding large open areas. Besides that, they never travel in groups. We can hit one or two, but with their numbers we would run out of ammunition before they run out of bodies. They only time they can be reliably identified is when they attack, and firing then would kill the people we're trying to save."

"So what do we do?" Cabot asked, "We can take these things down, but it doesn't do any good to pick off a few dozen in random locations." The commander typed in another command and the Goliath was replaced by a map.

"This is a major center of facilities." York explained. He gestured at the map and a series of purple dots appeared on the map. "These," he said as he gestured to a trio of dots in the south, "are the potions of the Broken Hill borhium mining facility. It contain a mine, a quarry, and a foundry. Next to it," he gestured at another purple dot to the west, "is a generyst processing facility, related to this," he pointed to a purple dot on a small island off the east coast, "Medbay launching facility. To the north" he pointed near the top of the map, "there's a satellite uplink to an orbital drill. Just to the south is a rendering plant."

He gestured again and a series of green dots appeared in different places. "These are the facilities dedicated to sustaining the colony. Here," he said as he pointed to one on the coast south of the Medlab, "is the weather tower to negate the effects of the bohrium mines. To the north is a refueling tower, and to the south is New Calico, the capital of Shear. To the west of that is a fusion plant and at the western border is a hydroelectric dam." He pointed to a lone dot in the far north to the west of the orbital drill. "This is the regulation center for water and power to all the facilities in the area."

He pressed another button and a single blue dot appeared on the west side of an island north of the Medbay. "This is the only scientific facility in the area. They thawed out a glacier for some reason, but I don't know all the details. Something about studying birds or plants."

He pressed one more button and a few red dots appeared. "These are the Ebonstar facilities in the area." He pointed to the two in the west. "The one in the north is a barracks and the one in the south is the armory." He gestured to the last dot on the island with the science facility. "This is King's Fort, a fallback position for situations like this."

"Like this?" Parnell asked. York grinned without humor. "Well no. But close enough." Cabot leaned forward to study the map. "So we're focusing on this area. What's the topography?"

The commander grinned again, with a sliver of joy this time. "That's why we chose this area. A mountain range makes access difficult from most directions. If they take the easy way, they'll come from the north."

Parnell nodded as he looked over the map. "So we eliminate any that get to the colonists. It's a good plan, so long as they don't decide to climb or swim around." He looked over at the commander. "I assume you're doing something similar?"

York nodded. "I'm having my men round up the citizens and move them to secure locations for evacuation. While they don't have the same experience as your crew at fighting this kind of threat, they should be able to make up for it in numbers."

"About the evacuation. Where are they launching from?" Cabot asked, "There aren't any large scale spaceports in the area." York tilted his head in agreement. "True. We've begun to prep several other areas for staging grounds. The first is King's Fort. It's already prepared for an assault, so it should hold long enough to prepare a ship. The second is the Salvetron Industries generyst plant. It's used to large cargo ships, so it should be able to handle an evac ship. The third was more difficult to choose. We would have chosen the water and power facility, but-"

"It was too close to the front lines to be safe." Parnell finished. York nodded. "In the end, we chose to launch the last transport from New Calico. It would have been much harder to move so many people to a new area then to launch from there."

Cabot looked over the map again. "It seems like you've planned it out. Though I'm not sure how well it will work." York raised an eyebrow. "Doubting your own abilities?" "More like doubting that a team of twelve will be able to hold off an army of monsters for five days."

York grinned. "Then I have some good news for you." He produced a messenger and handed it to Cabot. "That is an official message from NORDITA granting you permission to commandeer whatever equipment or facilities you need for the job. Though please do me a favor and leave me the warship."

Cabot pocketed the messenger and nodded. "No promises." "I have some other goodies for you as well." York continued. "There's a second part to that. They footed the bill for a crate full of mobile arenas." Parnell looked between them. "I'm new to the whole Planet Tamer business. What are those?"

"You were in Sol Guard." Cabot said, "Remember mobile fortresses?" He nodded. "Portable Rajat field domes to seal out hostiles while you prepared." "Exactly," Cabot replied, "Arenas are modified versions of that. You can get in, but you can't get out. They come in handy for bringing down creatures that like to run when they get into trouble."

Parnell looked impressed as Cabot turned back to York. "Are there any other facilities in the area we may need to protect?" The commander shook his head. "My men are handling the population centers. There are a few structures built into a volcano in the mountain range and an agricultural center to the south, but they're already evacuated."

Cabot nodded and stepped back. "If that's all?" York waved his hand towards the door. "That's all. We have five days to save the population of an entire world." The door slid open as Parnell and Cabot walked away. "Good hunting, and good luck."

* * *

In the common room of the _Laurie-Anne_ , the other hunters were occupying themselves while they waited for their leaders to return. Griffin, Maggie, and Val stared intently at each other over cards, as well as the fourth member of the game. A man made equally large by muscle and fat stared back at them with his one good eye, absentmindedly scratching a burn scar that covered half his face. A beard that looked like someone glued half a dog to his face completed the visage as his face split into a grin and he place his cards on the table.

"Read 'em and weep." Hyde proclaimed in a Cockney accent. The other players examined the cards and groaned. Val considered the ace she had stashed in her sleeve, but decided against it. Better to have it for when the stakes were raised. "I don't know how you do that." Griffin said as he watched Hyde move the small pile of keys over to him. "Really?" Hyde said in a bemused tone, "And here I thought it was my amazing poker face." Maggie scoffed. "Less 'poker face', more 'we can't look straight at it' face." she replied.

Markov approached behind them and clapped Val and Griffin on the shoulders. "Comrades!" he proclaimed, "We have won a victory. Why do you not celebrate?" Griffin winced, still sore from his visit to the autodoc. "We are celebrating mate." He said. "Or at least we will be," muttered Val, "Once we win our money back from Hyde."

"Some folks prefer simple celebrations." Hank called from the couch. He had a beer in one hand and a pamphlet in the other. 'Ebonstar Tactical Solutions' the title proclaimed, 'Security for a New World'. "They could still drink the beer I so thoughtfully provided." Said Abe, holding up one of the beers in question.

"Ethanol is not kind to the brain." said a voice just behind him. "Less so when coupled with my glove." Abe started in surprise, nearly dropping his drink. "Jesus man!" he yelled, "You scared the shit out of me." The man behind him was of average height, with unnaturally pale skin and piercing grey eyes. He was bald, displaying the web of veins across his scalp, with a black beard. Despite being out of his combat armor, a glove with several tubes of blue fluid encased his left hand. "Apologies." he said, "I did not realize your observation skills were so faded for such a skilled bounty hunter."

Abe narrowed his eyes at the man. "I know you're mocking me Lazarus," he said as he pointed at him, "But I don't have a good retort, so I'm just gonna ignore you."

He walked over to Markov and offered a drink, which he accepted. "To our victory!" Markov proclaimed, holding the beer up, "And for many to come!"

"So how was the hunt anyways?" Abe asked Griffin, "Everything you thought it would be?" Griffin leaned back in his chair and thought. "Not sure yet." he said, "I've seen bigger, like the Orion Terrasaur. And I've seen nastier, like Titan Leeches. But nothing I've hunted attacked entire colonies."

"Yeah." Val commented, "If those kinds of things are typical here, I can see why they need us." "Yes," Markov agreed, "Cabot recruits us, recruits every famous hunter in the galaxy. Now we know why."

"Famous?" said Hank, "Aw, y'all are gonna make me blush." Abe leaned on the table, glancing at Maggie's cards as he did so. "But that thing was dangerous wasn't it?" he asked. "It was." Maggie said with a tense tone in her voice. "They're big, angry, and very dangerous."

Abe shot her a glance. "How do you know? You weren't there." He shut up when Maggie shot him a glare, taking a step back for good measure. She placed her cards on the table and got up. "I fold. Keep playing without me." She stalked out of the room, snapping her fingers as she left. The table jostle as Daisy got up from under it and followed her out.

Abe watched her leave. "What's her deal?" "It is not my place to say." answered Bucket over the intercom. "If you wish to know, you would have to ask Ms. Lumumba yourself." Abe kept watching the doorway for a moment then shook himself out of it. "So what are these things like? I'd rather not find out when one of them is munching on my insides."

"Ah, nothin a little fire won't fix." Hyde said. "Yes, I'm sure the application of fire will fix the super predator's desire to separate you from your organs." Bucket dryly remarked. Hank looked up from his reading and glanced around the room. "Where's Caira?" he asked, "She'd know about these things right?" "Ms. Diaz is currently in the starboard storage room." Bucket supplied, "She has converted the area into a temporary laboratory and has expressed a desire to remain undisturbed while she studies the samples."

They were going to continue their conversation when the door opened and Cabot walked in with Parnell. "Hey boss-man," called Abe, "What's the word from on high?" Cabot walked over to the table and placed a box on it. "For starters, we have five days to kill enough of those things to allow the colonists to get off-world."

"Fi- five days?" Abe asked in surprise. "We knew things were desperate," Lazarus said, "But this seems more severe than anticipated." "Hmm," Val supplied, "So what's in the box?"

"Presents from Ebonstar." Parnell said. Hyde leaned forward and grinned. "So what military goodies did those fine blokes have for us?"

"Not guns if that's what you're asking." Cabot said. He flipped open the container as Hyde sat back in disappointment. Inside were several contact cases.

Hank reached in and pulled one out. "So what're these? My eyes're fine." "Optical displays," Val said as she took a pair, "I've used these before. They're top of the line too."

Lazarus picked one up to examine, then placed it back in. "I have no need for this." He said, "I have a permanent set from my time in Sol Guard." "Me too." Hyde said, "Well, half anyway."

"What about you?" Griffin asked Val as she pocketed a set, "Didn't you get implants what with your job?" She shook her head. "They never gave us anything permanent so we could go places that could detect them. That's why I have the headset."

They were quiet for a minute as those who needed them took their contacts. "So if no one needs these." Abe said, "Can I have them? I've never had any before, but they probably aren't cheap." "We are entering the atmosphere." Bucket said before anyone could respond.

"Ok people, we're approaching the first major drop." Cabot announced. "Griffin, Val, Markov, Hank, get some shut eye. The rest of you, get your gear. We drop in half an hour."

* * *

On the surface of Shear, a set of buildings sat amongst a series of rocky canyons and acid lakes. A few Ebonstar soldiers patrolled the area as they waited for the transport ship to arrive and move them to the evac point, jetpacking between rock formations to avoid the animals that lived in the canyons.

A few dozen meters away, the acid lake rippled. Moving with deliberate slowness, a massive creature emerged from the acid, taking care to keep a ruined building between it and the guards. It exhaled slowly, then took its first breath in nearly an hour. It was rewarded with the rich scents of prey, sparking the instincts that drove it. It moved away from the shore and towards the main building.

It could smell the prey there. And there was only one thing to do with prey.

* * *

AN: Hey, a new chapter! I'd like to say there won't be any delays like this in the future. I'd really like to say that. As it is, life is not particularly caring about my writing schedule, though I should have a better schedule within the next few months.

And yes, this is another filler chapter. Don't worry, I'll get to the action soon. This was just to establish a few things. First, I've always though Ebonstar should have had a more active role in the defense of the planet, so they'll be mentioned as the ones performing the large scale operations while the hunters do precise strikes. The difference between a sledgehammer and a scalpel if you will. Second, the contact lenses. Those are actually canon since Kala mentions them. I mention those so most of the tracking devices make sense. Third, I wanted to show the hunters put thought and tactics into their hunts, hence the meeting.

And for an issue I'm sure some of you saw. Yes, I left out Distillery and Wraith Trap intentionally. The Distillery is mentioned as being an illegal site that colonists tolerate because they get the scent masking chemicals cheaper that way. Ebonstar however works for NORDITA, not the colonists, and would be contractually obligated to destroy the camp if they found it. You can guess why the colonists don't tell them. The explanation for the second is simpler. No Wraiths yet = no Wraith Trap.

Please leave reviews about any comments, questions, or concerns and I'll do my best to address them. Or just tell me nice things. Your choice.


	5. Chapter 5

**120 Shear Hours until Evacuation**

The dropship's engines bellowed as it dipped into the atmosphere. It was headed towards the Orbital Drill, the estimated approach vector of the monsters. Inside, the hunters prepared for the drop. Hyde stood in the left-most spot by the drop doors. Thick plates of worn armor now covered his frame, with blocky pauldrons and a large gorget. A bulky jetpack clung to his back, with two large fuel tanks protruding from the top. A tube ran from the pack to an enlarged gauntlet and vambrace. Hyde activated and deactivated the mechanisms in the gauntlet, watching the pilot arc blink into existence over and over.

His companion watched him warily. Maggie stood in the spot next to him, holding a submachine gun. Another weapon, with a thick cylindrical barrel tipper with a ring of metal points, sat propped up on the railing next to her. Daisy lay asleep behind her, a harness now fitted over her forward body.

"Can you not do that?" Maggie asked.

He shot her a look. "What? Nothin in here's gonna burn if that's what's chicken currying you."

She raised an eyebrow. "Chicken curry?"

"Y'know," Hyde gestured, "Chicken curry, worry." He got a blank look in response. Hyde spat and shook his head. "No culture, any'a you."

The elevator behind them dinged and another figure emerged. He wore bone white armor, dirty from disuse. One shoulder displayed a blue Greek cross, the other, a symbol that resembled an elaborate I. His left hand was encased in a gauntlet with tubes of blue fluid set into the vambrace. The liquid shimmered as sporadic electrical pulses jolted the contents of the vials.

"Are you prepared to face the reaper?" Lazarus asked as he took the spot on the other side of Maggie.

Maggie shot him a look. "Do you have to phrase it like that?"

Lazarus shrugged. "It is likely that at least one of us will perish on this drop. With luck, it will be temporary."

Maggie rolled her eyes. "A pyromaniac and a death obsessed lunatic. What did I do to deserve such companions?"

Footsteps heralded the approach of the final hunter, coming not from the elevator, but from the storage room beside it. It looked like a standard HuangCorp Repair and Maintenance Drone at first glance. It had the standard stocky body painted bright safety yellow, with a single blue optic peering out of a cylindrical head. A second glance revealed extensive modification. The right arm ended in a blocky weapon, currently deactivated. The rim of the torso was widened around the head, leaving the neck port exposed. The entire machine bore signs of wear and tear, with rust and welding spots marring the exterior.

"Not to worry Ms. Lumumba," Bucket supplied cheerfully as the drone took the final spot, "I will serve as your dose of normalcy on this drop." His voice no longer came from the ship but from the battered yellow repair drone.

"The robot who flies the ship is the normal one." Maggie deadpanned, "When did my life get so weird?"

The intercom dinged. The hunters prepared to receive their orders. "Hey, is this sending?" Caira's voice said.

The hunters blinked and looked at each other. "We are receiving you Ms. Diaz." Bucket replied, "May I ask the reason for this communication?"

"Oh, right." They heard shuffling papers on the other end. Where she'd gotten normal paper, they had no idea. "I was wondering if you guys could try to avoid blowing up its head."

Hyde snorted. "Why, little girl wants a trophy?"

"No you big jerk," she said impatiently, "I want a better brain sample. Markov's lightning gun fried all the synapses in this one. Or something. It's really hard to tell what's going on with it."

"I dunno," Hyde said slowly, "Askin a man not ta melt faces… meltin faces is what I do."

Caira sighed. "Fine, I'll get the next one." The intercom crackled, then fell quiet.

"Hyde," Bucket said to fill the quiet, "What was that game that you, Ms. Wolski, Mr. Hallsey, and Ms. Lumumba were playing earlier?"

"What?" Hyde replied, "Yeah. Yeah, we play Euchre, pass the time."

"Euchre. Oh. A four-player game." Bucket said, sounding slightly dejected.

"What, you want in? The robot wants to play cards?" Hyde asked incredulously, "Well we could switch to something else. Spades maybe."

"I would like to play," Bucket said, "You learn a lot about people playing games with them."

"Yeah you do. Right then."

Bucket seemed like he was going to reply when he stopped and stared into space. "I am detecting a transmission from the dropzone."

As he spoke, the intercom crackled to life again. "I just got a message from the drill." Cabot said without preamble.

"Awaiting their heroes are they?" Hyde asked.

Cabot played the message in response. "Does anyone read me?" a panicked man said, "I'm over at the orbital drill. There's some kind of monster that's here. Wish it'd go for the striders first. We need some help, before- Oh no. No!" The transmission became nothing but screams before cutting out entirely.

The team was quiet. "Well fuck." Hyde summed up.

"This isn't a defensive assignment anymore," Cabot said, "Priority one is to find and retrieve any survivors. Ebonstar's sending a combat retrieval shuttle. Get any survivors to the impulse pads and they'll be out of there in seconds. If you can kill the monster, do it, but don't take unnecessary risks."

"Yes sir!" Bucket replied smartly.

The ship slowed and began to bank towards the dropsite. The hunters moved towards the hatch as the hydraulics hissed into position. "This should be fun!" Bucket said, "Wait, not fun. The other word. Terrifying, that's it!"

Hyde laughed as the doors opened to reveal the orbital drill below them. "Let's go fuck it up!" he yelled with glee as he leapt out.

* * *

The Goliath walked beside a pool of acid, dragging a human corpse by the leg. The prey had been tricky, trying to hide from its sight. But they hadn't been able to fool its nose. It approached a towering structure that tilted over as the acid reduced its foundation to muck. One swift movement allowed the Goliath to haul itself up onto a block of concrete half submerged in the acid. It ripped into the corpse, keenly aware of the nearby energy signature. The constant pulsing grated on its extra senses, infuriating the beast. It was too well armored to destroy now, but soon it would-

A glowing red speck caught the Goliath's eye, falling from the sky to land near the center of the prey-nest. It straightened up, looking into the sky for what had caused this. There, in the distance, a ship was approaching. Two more glowing specks launched from it, landing near the first. The Goliath caught a whiff of chemicals and heat from the objects.

The Goliath roared at the sky as the ship passed overhead, ignorant of the beast below. It knew the scent of the ship, recognized it from the area it had visited. Where this scent went, death would follow. It leapt from the concrete block to solid ground and loped towards a series of tall canyons. Its pack mate had been strong, but it hadn't been fully grown. This one would not make that mistake.

A second line of thought sprang to mind. In its attack, it had seen the prey coordinate and work together. They compensated for their weakness with teamwork. A pack species. It growled low in its chest as it considered this. Its pack was ruthless, cunning. One was insignificant compared to the many.

Another memory surfaced. A prey rushing towards another, wounded and immobile. It had risked itself attempting to save another. Something came together in the Goliath's mind. Empathy. It did not know where the idea had come from, did not even know the word, but it understood its influence. The prey would prioritize what they could do to protect one another. They would hunt it, but only if it posed a threat to their pack. Until then, they would work to save others.

The Goliath sniffed the air. Several prey had escaped its attack, fleeing into the caves and canyons. Some had run when it first appeared, some only when they were wounded. Their motivations didn't matter, only that they were there. Yes, this was the best course of action. Kill the hiding prey to render the other prey's actions meaningless, while feeding on their remains to strengthen itself. The Goliath didn't know what sadism was, but it understood its meaning. It walked into the canyon, ignoring the lesser prey that scattered at its passing, and made a beeline to the nearest hiding prey.

* * *

The dropship slowed and hovered next to a tall structure topped with a satellite dish. Dropbay doors creaked open on its underside and five figures dropped out. Hyde and Bucket landed first, activating their jetpacks at the last second to arrest their fall. Hyde hefted a minigun, keeping his left side and the heavier parts of his armor pointed forward. The blocky weapon that replaced Bucket's right forearm opened up, revealing a laser targeting system and a rack containing a small missile.

They turned on the spot, sweeping their weapons across the area in search of threats. The high noon sun was obscured by dusty clouds, casting the area in an orange light. They could see a few an-made structures in the area, but small plateaus and tall canyon walls obstructed the view. Strange bulbous plants stood atop disproportionately thin stalks, swaying despite the absence of a breeze. Hyde looked down when he felt his foot slip on something slimy. He was standing on a smear of blood and shredded tissue, along with a few bones that could be identified as human. "What a lovely surprise." He commented sarcastically.

Lazarus and Maggie landed behind them, while Daisy floated down slowly behind them on a parachute. Lazarus held a porcelain colored sniper rifle with a long silencer affixed to the barrel. Maggie held the larger weapon from the dropship, her SMG slung on her hip. Maggie knelt to examine the ground. "Definitely human." She said, examining the remains. She raised her gaze to see the four toed tracks of the monster, heading away from their current position towards an opening in the canyon walls to the east of the group.

Daisy landed beside her with a thud, her parachute automatically detaching. She rushed over to Maggie, wagging her tail with excitement. Maggie rose and patted her pet on the head. "We're not hunting now." She said. Her tone made it difficult to tell if she was disappointed, happy, or merely stating a fact. Daisy cocked her head at the sound of her master's voice and whined quietly, not recognizing a command.

"So we need to find the colonists." Lazarus said. "How exactly are we to accomplish that? If there are survivors, they will be hiding."

"One moment please." Bucket said, "I will endeavor to open an open comms channel to anyone in the vicinity."

Their comms crackled for a moment before settling into silence. "Attention colonists," Bucket said, "We are here to retrieve you for evacuation. If you are alive, please signal us as to your location so we may rescue you."

For a minute there was only silence. Then an unknown voice spoke. "In the canyons to the north east. Look for the hab-units."

The four wasted no time heading towards the indicated location. Maggie and Hyde ran along the dirt road, Daisy loping along behind them, while Lazarus and Bucket scaled the small plateaus and followed them from higher ground. Short bursts from their jetpacks let them cover ground quickly, while sustained use allowed them to fly over gaps between formations.

Through a gap in the rocky formations, the hunters could see the hab-units they were looking for. They were a series of small prefabricated buildings arranged in a rough ring in an intersection of dirt roads. As they approached, it was obvious that the monster had been here. Most buildings bore significant damage, with walls or roofs torn apart. One building was nothing more than a few bent and twisted support beams protruding from a pile of flaming rubble. A tracked ground vehicle lay upside down, one side crushed into the ground. Bloodstains marred the ground, along with several charred corpses. From atop a nearby stalagmite, an armadon skull gazed sightlessly over the destruction, metal spikes driven through its eye sockets to affix it to the stone.

The hunters slowed their pace as they approached the burning buildings, wary of a potential ambush. Bucket and Lazarus descended from their elevated position to advance with their teammates. "Hello?" Bucket called out.

There was no response. "Oi!" Hyde yelled impatiently, "Get out here or we'll leave ya ta the beast!"

That got a reaction. Their weapons swung towards a sound behind one of the buildings. A man in a singed technical outfit emerged, clutching a pistol tightly in one hand. "Oh thank God!" He gasped as he saw them.

"That's one git." Hyde said, ignoring the man, "What now?"

Maggie turned her gaze on the survivor. He visibly shrunk under her scrutiny. "How many others?"

"Others?" He squeaked. "It's not a very big outpost. Twenty workers, about half that many guards. Of those, I think only a handful survived."

"How can we find them?" Maggie asked. Her gaze softened a tiny bit as he mentioned the casualties.

"Well, we have emergency locators…"

"Give it to us." Lazarus commanded. Somehow, he managed to be colder than Maggie. The man practically ripped a small metal square off his belt to give to them. Lazarus took the device and handed it to Bucket, who quickly tapped into its programming. A moment later, several indicators appeared in their HUDs, indicating the general direction of the survivors.

Maggie looked over the indicators, noting two signatures past the hab-units in the caves. "Bucket, take Hyde and go secure the retrieval point." She commanded. "Lazarus, you're with me. We'll go grab those two from the caves and swing around to meet them."

"And me?" The colonist asked nervously.

"You can come with us." Bucket supplied cheerfully. He ignored Hyde's groan of annoyance.

The group split up, one trio headed back towards the drop point and the other venturing deeper into the wilderness. Bucket noted the survivor's nervous glance over his shoulder at the other group. "Do not worry human," Maggie heard him say as he walked away, "Once the chemicals responsible for your state of fear dissipate, you will realize they are only about 60% as intimidating as they seem."

Maggie and Lazarus activated their jetpacks, launching them over the burning rubble of a building to alight on the mouth of a tunnel running through the canyon wall into the caves. Maggie waited a moment for Daisy to catch up. The trapjaw ran up the vertical surface, digging her claws in with each step. As she reached the top, tail wagging with excitement, the group moved forward to look out into the cave.

They overlooked a large pool of orange-brown liquid. Several bipedal creatures clustered around the pool, their heads lowered as if to drink. Experience told Maggie that that didn't indicate anything about the harmlessness of the liquid. They evolved here, they would be adapted to the dangers. Above them, the rocky walls of the canyon slanted together, leaving only a sliver of sky visible.

Maggie checked her HUD. The contacts were in opposite directions, one to each side. She dismissed the idea of splitting up before it even occurred to her. Being caught by the monster alone was a death sentence.

"That one." She said out loud, pointing to the contact farther away from the drop point. They could pick up the other on their way to meet up with the others. They launched themselves from the opening, Daisy running along below them.

The hunters passed over a small plateau, revealing a woman in scratched and dented Ebonstar armor sitting against a tree, one leg extended. The sleeve of one arm had been removed with her combat knife and wrapped around the extended leg as a makeshift tourniquet. A puddle of blood surrounded the limb, highlighting the purpose for the action. She held tribarreled shotgun across her lap, her head snapping up as she heard the sounds of their approach.

Occupied as they were with the appearance of their target and separated by distance, neither hunter noticed Daisy falter in her course. Her tail ceased its wagging, her head pivoting to glare towards another section of the rocky terrain. She growled low in her throat as a familiar scent wafted past. Then the scent was gone and Daisy resumed her run after her master.

"Damn." The soldier commented, voice weak from blood loss. "Didn't think anyone was coming. Would have been a shitty way to go."

"Indeed." Lazarus said calmly as he landed beside her. He sank to one knee, examining the wounded leg. He noted the position of the wound, a slash across the lower leg. He took into account its depth, the positions of the bones and arteries. After a few moments he came to a conclusion. The device's full power was not necessary. This was just a repair job.

He flexed the fingers on his left hand and a set of hypodermic needles extended from the back of his hand. He angled his fist and jabbed the syringes into the flesh around the wound. The soldier gasped as the muscles of her leg locked up, precise pulses of electricity from the glove manipulating her nervous system to achieve a receptive state. The glove hissed as the tubes emptied their contents into thin tubes leading into the needles. The mix of biostimulants and nanites flowed into her blood and muscle before rushing to repair the damage. Muscle reknitted, fractures in bone fused shut, blood multiplied. The mixture lacked the generyst fungus of most healing technologies, so the sensation was far from pleasant. Still, it was better than the alternative.

The process was over in a fraction of a second. Lazarus pulled his hand free, the needles sliding back into hidden sheathes, and stood up. "A boost," He said, shifting his rifle to his left hand and offering the soldier the other one, "To keep you alive."

She hesitated but took it, hauling herself upright. She warily rested weight on her leg, then settled into a more neutral stance as she realized the wound was gone. "How the hell?" She muttered as she unwound the tourniquet from her leg.

Lazarus didn't respond, turning instead to Maggie. She nodded in reply to his silent question and the two launched back into the air, headed towards the second contact. The soldier followed close behind, using short bursts to conserve fuel. Daisy followed her, excited as she continued to dip closer before jetting out of reach.

The hunters rounded a rock outcrop, another large structure set into the canyon wall coming into view. The contact originated from a small clearing below and in front of the structure. As Maggie and Lazarus landed next to it, it was clear something was wrong.

Nearly a dozen creatures resembling some reptile-ape hybrid clustered in the clearing. Most seemed to be gathered around something on the ground by one of the rocky structures, while others sat perched atop ledges around the area. They had all gone still at the sound of their approach. Each stared at the pair, beady yellow eyes glaring unblinkingly out of the bony crests that covered their heads.

"Maggie," Lazarus said quietly, trying not to aggravate the group, "Do you know what these are?"

"No," She replied bluntly, "But I know their type. Scavengers. Leave their food alone, don't approach while alone or wounded and they'll leave you alone."

Something caught her eye dangling from the mouth of one of the creatures. Daisy loped up behind her, while the soldier dropped down beside them. "But I don't think that's an option." Maggie finished.

The soldier noticed the object too. A human hand, gnawed half to the bone, dripping blood and drool, protruded from the mouth of one of the reavers. "You bastards." She whispered. Then again, louder. "You bastards!"

She ran forward, bringing her shotgun to bear. The nearest reaver hissed in aggression and moved to intercept her, moving in some mix of an ape's knuckled lope and a quadruped's run. It didn't get more than a step when the shot gun boomed. It fell back, its head blown apart by the shot.

Like a signal had been given, the rest of the reavers launched into motion. Shrieking at the intruders they swarmed forward, others crawling down from their perches to join the pack. The soldier opened fire into the group, the shotgun's mechanisms automatically loading the next shot and eliminating the need to rack the slide. Slugs cratered torsos and severed limbs, shredding the front line of the pack.

Maggie and Lazarus flanked her, bursts of SMG fire tearing into the approaching scavengers as silent shots drilled holes through skulls. One reaver managed to get close, using its packmates to soak up fire. The soldier noticed it and tried to blow it apart, only for her gun to click empty. It leapt for her, both forelimbs upraised to slash down with an elongated middle talon.

She shifted her grip on the shotgun as it leapt, grabbing it by the middle and holding it out. The weapon struck the forelimbs just below the wrist. She stepped forward at the same time countering its momentum. It tried to withdraw, but the soldier had other plans. She raised the pistol she has drawn with her other hand and fired two shots into its throat while it struggled to free itself. She shoved aside the corpse and stepped forward, looking for another target.

There were none to be found. Only a few revers were still alive, and their wounds ensured they wouldn't be for long. She looked around, seeming almost lost, before walking over to the corpse of what had most likely been her friend and sank to her knees. Neither Lazarus nor Maggie said anything to her. If she was looking for moral support, one wasn't the kind to provide it and the other was incapable of expressing it.

A gleam of light caught Maggie's eye. She looked up to see a belt, torn in half, dangling from a tree. Clipped onto it was the square of the emergency locator. Warning signs went off in Maggie's head. She looked around her at the ground, half-hidden under dead reavers. A few meters away from her she saw it. A large four toed foot print, angled towards the corpse. She snapped her fingers twice. A few meters away Daisy perked up, a severed reaver limb held in her jaws. Maggie pointed at the track. Daisy whined but dropped her new treat, walking over to the track and sampling the scent.

"Ruva," Maggie commanded, " _Vhima_!"

Daisy took off like an arrow, her stumpy legs propelling her forward with surprising speed. She moved in a straight line towards the farthest sample of the scent she had found, just like she'd been trained. Maggie followed her, jetting up to a higher level before using bursts to move rapidly forward. She heard Lazarus and the soldier take to the air behind her, but she didn't slow down for them.

A gap appeared in the tall stone walls ahead. Through it she could see a squat metal building. In front of it, a column of orange light shot into the sky. It was possible the trail would turn, but she didn't think it would.

She was already accessing her comms when she saw the light. "Bucket, Hyde, we found the monster's trail. It's headed your way!"

* * *

Bucket and Hyde headed away from the other hunters, the colonist trailing nervously behind him. "So why d'we get the dead weight?" Hyde asked Bucket.

"Hey!" The colonist objected meekly.

"Because we are going to the retrieval site," Bucket replied, "And he needs to be retrieved from the retrieval site. Hence the name."

"Can't Laz watch 'im?"

Bucket ignored him as they approached the building topped with the satellite relay. A concrete ramp led to a large metal shutter that sealed off the entrance to the building. They ignored it, circling around to the other side. Sitting between the relay building and another squat structure just behind it was a large metal circle set into the ground.

"So that's the… thing?" Hyde asked.

"Ebonstar magnetic impulse retrieval platform." Bucket commented absently as he approached it.

"Whatever."

"Yes it is." Bucket's weapon arm locked into an L shape, then rotated to point the laser straight up. On his torso, a hatch split open and revealed a yellow and black sphere with a single blue optic peering out of the front. Bucket grabbed the sphere with the claw that tipped his left arm, the hatch slamming shut as soon as he pulled it free. A quiet whirring could be heard as the miniature autofabricator built into his body began constructing another one. "I will secure the area. Would you kindly investigate the landing platform to our left to see if here is an intact ship?"

Hyde rolled his eye but jetted into the air to check. "How'd I end up takin' orders from a robot?" He grumbled to himself.

He landed on a block of metal several meters taller than the landing platform. A ship sat on the platform, exterior antigrav panels painted orange to denote a utility craft. Hyde didn't have any experience with spaceships, but even he knew this one wouldn't fly. The side facing him had been peeled apart, wires and cable spilling out of the broken hull. Fuel leaked from a container set into its side, forming a large puddle around the ship.

"Well?" Bucket called, "Have you determined its status?"

Hyde turned to look at him. As he watched, Bucket tossed a sphere into the air. A quartet of small jets sprung to life on its underside, halting its fall at chest height. As it settled, the top half of the sphere rose up and slid back to overlap the other half. Two cylindrical projections rose out and dropped down, one on either side. A rounded metal projection rose up and out, the blue optic visible on the sphere centered on its front. The cylinders rotated to point in the direction the optic faced, clicking as inner mechanisms locked into place. A cone of light shot out of the optic and the newly placed sentry gun began to rotate in place, joining the other two Bucket had placed.

"Its status is well an' truly _fucked_ is what it is!"

Bucket hummed. "That is unfortunate. I was hoping we might have a backup method of escape."

"Why'd we need to escape?" Hyde laughed. "We find the monster, then we fuck it up 'till it can't bother us."

"What are you talking about?" The colonist asked with panic, "Have you seen this thing? It's huge!"

"I have seen one." Hyde replied. "And I'm sayin' we could fuck it up."

Their comms crackled. "Bucket, Hyde," Maggie's voice said, "We found the monster's trail. It's headed your way!"

Hyde cackled manically, the barrel of his minigun spinning up. "Fuckin' finally! I've been itchin' for a real Barney!"

Bucket reacted in a slightly saner manner. "Just a moment," He told the colonist standing next to him, who had fallen into a panicked crouch, "I need to remove my head."

He proceeded to do just that. He reached up with his left arm, seized his head, and pulled sharply upward. Power lines and wires detached from prepared slots and the mechanisms that allowed him to move his head retracted. Now detached, Bucket tossed his head into the air. A cluster of small thrusters activated on the underside, causing it to hover just above his body. It turned on the spot for a moment, then shot off in the direction of the other hunters.

The single eye of the head, now a UAV, swept across the ground. Icons on the HUD indicated the distances from the other hunters, while a map downloaded from the Ebonstar database showed him the nearby terrain. As the UAV approached the entrance to the canyons, the sensors picked up an irregularity. A large tree lay toppled over on the ground, half sunken in a pool that his sensors indicated was acid.

The UAV moved towards it, scanning the area for similar irregularities. Blue wireframe highlighted a foot print near the tree. Large, four toed, matching the ones found at the first contact site. A dozen more footprints rapidly appeared in wireframe, leading away from the pool and past the building behind the retrieval point.

Bucket cut the connection to the UAV. Its optic went dark and the thrusters deactivated, causing the UAV to plummet like a tone out of the sky. He would have kept it if he could, but he had enough tasks to do without adding another to the list.

The remote drone by the colonist whirred for a moment. Then a new head rose out of the gap left by the former one, the fabricator in his body temporarily repurposed. The new head lacked the irregularities and damage of the old, as shiny and clean as if it was fresh off an assembly line. It was starkly out of place on the battered and beaten body.

While the new head linked to the body, Bucket checked the map, followed by the emergency locator signals. He would have cursed, but his vocal unit wasn't online yet. There were two signals behind the building. It was less than a second between that realization and the activation of his vocal unit, but it was agonizingly slow to his mechanical mind.

"Hyde!" He called as soon as he could, "It's behind the building! I'll go over, you go through!"

Without further instructions he activated his jetpack and flew up to the roof of the building, weapon arm dropping down into the ready position. Hyde jetted past the colonist on the platform towards another entrance to the building.

* * *

On the other side of the building, the Goliath perked up. It had found two prey close together, one tending the other. A quick sniff had detected blood. With one wounded and the other distracted, it had been an easy attack. A lunge, followed by the snapping of its jaws, had killed one almost instantly. The other still lived, the air forced out of its lungs by the massive claw the Goliath rested on its torso.

But now the other prey were moving in. It had smelled them as it passed, mixing speed and stealth to avoid detection. They had that peculiar smell given off by the prey that had killed its packmate. Or one of them did at least. The other had a shadow-smell, blending in with the scents of the prey nests. It had not meant to draw their attention yet, it was still small and weak.

It could run, hide, fight, with many varieties between those options. It snatched up the remains of the dead prey and gulped it down. It would need the power if it was caught. As for the other…

It was detected, pure stealth was no longer necessary. It lifted its claw from the wounded prey. As it gasped for air, the Goliath struck down with its claw. It tried to scream as the monster tore through its flesh, but it lacked the breath. The wounded one would serve as a distraction. The Goliath stepped off the platform into the acid lake, ignoring the tingle as the liquid began to burn its skin. It lowered itself onto all fours and moved towards its escape route.

* * *

Hyde ran along the building towards the entrance. He still held the minigun, relying on its range over the sheer destructive potential of the flamethrower. Half his face twisted into a grin at the idea of imminent combat. The other remained the same, a puckered grimace of scar tissue.

He turned towards the entrance as he approached, then abruptly came up short. The tunnel, tall enough to drive a cargo truck through, was half-full of acid. He groaned to himself, then stepped forward and jetted into the air.

"Th' fuck is this?" He asked himself as he flew down the tunnel. "Why'd the robot get the easy way? When I see him again I'll-"

He stopped as something caught his eye. Was that a ripple in the acid, reflecting the light from his jetpack? No, it was too… red. His eye widened and he tried to dodge to the side. Too late.

The Goliath erupted from the acid, mouth stretched in a soundless howl. One hand shot out and seized the hunter, claws pinning one arm to his side. Before he could retaliate, the Goliath slammed him into the ground. Its arm sank into the acid up to the elbow, but it didn't let go. It held Hyde there, pinned against the ground beneath its weight, under the acid.

It could smell Bucket behind it, approaching the wounded prey. Its mandibles twitched in satisfaction. The distraction worked, diverting his attention while it eliminated the other. It watched as tiny bubbles floated up from its captive. It was only a matter of time.

Hyde thrashed in its grip but couldn't break free. It only held his torso and left arm, but it was enough. His jetpack dug painfully into his back, its thrust inadequate to escape. His right arm was free, but there wasn't much he could do. He could draw his pistol, but its hermetic seal wouldn't work if he used it. He'd get one shot before it became useless.

His lungs began to burn, matching the burning of his skin. In some desperate hope he scrabbled at his boot and pulled a knife free. He glared up through the liquid at the beast, the acid blurring his vision. Even so, he could see the glowing pinpricks of its eyes staring down at him. He jabbed the knife into its skin, trying to get a gash. The blade did nothing, sliding on the skin like it was made of stone. The Goliath's only reaction was to tighten its grip a fraction.

Hyde felt at least one rib go. He opened his mouth to reflexively gasp in pain, but managed to halt his instincts before he inhaled. But no the acid was in his mouth, burning the sensitive tissues. The pain mixed with the oxygen deprivation and his vision began to go dark. As he slipped away, he raised his free hand and extended a fist to the monster, middle finger raised.

Before Hyde fell unconscious, someone intervened. An explosion blasted the monster's shoulder from behind. It released its captive and whirled, snarling in anger. Another explosion went off in its face, followed by several more. Bucket hovered at the end of the tunnel, the missile launcher that replaced his right arm aimed at the Goliath.

The weapon rotated on its axis and Bucket pulled the ammunition cartridge free, slotting another one in place. "Have a missile Goliath!" He taunted as he took aim, "They're delicious!"

The Goliath roared again and prepared to retaliate. At the same time, Hyde rocketed out of the water behind it, coughing to clear his lungs. Vision still blurred from the acid, he didn't try to aim a weapon. Instead he pulled a red sphere with several protruding nodes and hurtled it at the Goliath. His aim was off and it bounced off the wall of the tunnel before falling to the acid.

It was close enough. As it fell, the nodes twisted and hissed, spraying a cloud of dark green gas just under the monster's head. The Goliath inhaled the cloud in a deep breath and began to choke. Rather than a raging inferno, short bursts of fire shot from its jaws as it tried to breathe. Bucket used its distraction to nail it with another cluster of missiles.

The Goliath backpedaled to escape the cloud. What had been an opportunistic ambush was swiftly becoming a battle. It turned and ran to the end of the tunnel, hoping to escape. It emerged into the open air, head turning to determine the best route. Before it decided, the choice was made for it. An electric blue dot appeared in the sky before rapidly expanding into a dome. The edges dropped down and met the ground, staggering to match the surface all around. At the edge of the dome, three humans and a trapjaw appeared. The other hunters had arrived.

"You've captured the Goliath!" Bucket called. He immediately dodged to the side as the monster threw a stone in the direction of his voice. "And really upset it!"

In the open area, the Goliath was visibly smaller than the other they had encountered. It was several meters shorter, with only stubs where the first had spikes. Unlike the first, the Goliath glowed from within, the bright red of a heated coal.

It didn't bother with roars or snarls. It was all too aware that its situation was too tenuous to risk showing off. It ripped a stone from the ground and hurtled it at the three who had just entered the arena. They dodged the slow projectile, but it hadn't been meant to hit. It was already leaping into the air, aiming to crush the one who had dodged in a different direction than the others, separating itself.

Maggie dodged again as the Goliath crashed down behind her. She didn't turn and open fire, it wouldn't do much good. Besides, she wasn't holding a gun. She fired the bulky device into the ground, the ring of points digging into the dirt. "Putting out traps!" She called, "Hyde, get ready!"

The Goliath lunged after her, claws outstretched to seize her. It movements were cut short as the device she had shot into the ground activated. A harpoon, sharpened to a deadly edge, fired out from it and embedded itself in the beast's flank. An energy cable linked the device to the harpoon head, locking down the monster's movements.

Near the building, Lazarus activated his healing burst unit as he ascended to alight on the roof. Hyde blinked as the damage to his eye was undone, restoring his vision. He wasted no time jetting towards the monster as it tried futilely to follow Maggie. He let go of the minigun and the weapon slid onto his back to magnetically lock itself to the side of his jetpack. He raised his left arm as he approached the monster. The metal on the back of his gauntlet split and shifted. Parts slid aside, allowing mechanisms to rise up. Two metal prongs extended forward, an electrical arc appearing between them. A short tube rose up behind them, a tube leading into it. And then he was in range. He pressed his left thumb down on the button built into the glove. Soemthing sprayed from the tube into the arc. The result was instantaneous.

"Burn, you fuck!" Hyde yelled with a mixture of anger and glee.

A torrent of fire shot from the gauntlet into the monsters face. The viscous chemicals stuck to the monster's skin, continuing to burn. Oddly enough, it didn't cause any actual burns. Hyde didn't care. He kept firing. The Goliath inhaled and replied with fire of its own. Hyde just activated his personal shield, creating a shimmering blue barrier around him, and kept firing. He laughed like a maniac and the two traded fire, the heat scorching the ground around them.

On the building behind them, Bucket surveyed the battle field. The current section of the battle field was relatively flat, but it could be problematic if the monster returned to the confined spaces of the building. It was currently occupied with Hyde, leaving the others free to implement plans. Maggie was using the break to deploy more traps in the road behind Hyde. Bucket fired missile after missile at the monster, damaging it while it was distracted. Lazarus appeared next to him for a moment, emptying a clip from his sniper rifle, before moving towards the back of the building as Bucket had asked him to do. He ignored Lazarus for now, focusing on the other issue.

The dome included the retrieval platform. The column of orange light that shone up from the platform now halted at the dome, trapped inside just like them. The first colonist they had saved was cowering nearby it, trying to keep a stack of crates between him and the monster. Another survivor, this one wearing Ebonstar armor, stood by Daisy at the edge of the dome. Occasionally she fired at the Goliath with her shotgun, but for the most part she seemed content to avoid its attention.

On the other side of the building, a colonist was dying. He had thought himself lucky for surviving the first attack, even if he got wounded. He'd met up with another survivor, planned to signal Ebonstar to rescue them.

But now he was fucked. The other survivor was dead, eaten by the creature, and he was bleeding out. He'd gotten his hopes up a minute ago when he heard someone coming, but it had just been a repair drone. It wasn't like they could get him to an autodoc.

His vision was nearly gone now, along with his sense of pain. In the blurry moments before everything went black, he thought he saw a man appear above him.

Then he jolted back. For a split second he felt freezing cold before normal sensation returned. Unfortunately that sensation was pain. Far less than it had been a moment ago, but still painful. He looked up and realized there was a man standing over him. Deathly pale, in armor to match. The man looked him in the eyes and he felt a chill as he realized that there were no veins in his sclera, just solid white.

Lazarus looked down at the formerly dying man. His mouth was moving, trying to form words. It wasn't biological, all the organs had been repaired. Probably mental, what with coming back from the dead. He turned away and ran back towards the fight.

"Wait!" He heard the colonist yell. He'd figured out how to work his lungs again.

"If you want to repay me," Lazarus called without looking back, "Don't die again."

The colonist stared after him before the sounds of roaring and gunfire registered with him. He swallowed nervously as he realized the meaning of the statement.

Next to the Goliath, Hyde's shield ran out. It lunged before he could withdraw, backhanding him into the side of the dome. It grabbed him again as he fell and slammed him into the ground. No prolonged damage here, just immediate violence. Something cracked as Hyde hit the ground. It left him there as he began to curse and reached around to hook the energy cable in its claws. It pulled sharply and the cable snapped.

It dropped to all fours and charged forward towards Maggie. It only got half the distance before more harpoon traps activated and halted its movements. A few meters away, the turrets Bucket had set up by the retrieval platform locked on. They had been watching it ever since the dome had activated, the data relay with Bucket alerting them to the target's location. But now it was in range. The cones of light projected from their optics changed from blue to red and they let out a warning tone. A moment later they opened fire.

"It's caught!" Maggie yelled, "Move in!"

The Goliath roared and slashed at the cables restraining it. Maggie switched to her SMG, joining Bucket and the turrets in shooting at the monster. Lazarus rejoined the group and emptied another clip into its back before jetting towards Hyde, who had propped himself up on an elbow and was firing at the beats with a pistol.

The Goliath broke another set of cables, then let out a blast of fire. The blast washed over the sentry guns, frying their circuits and reducing them to half-melted wrecks. In snapped another few cables. Before it could free itself, the constant barrage added up. Its internal glow, which had been steadily fading throughout the fight, went out.

It roared as they shot it, this time in pain. Where before the shots had impacted it without any visible impact, they now left wounds. Blood began to trickle down its hide as bullets struck home.

"Alright!" Hyde yelled, shrugging of Lazarus's attempts to help him stand as he raised his minigun, "Now we'll see the fucker burn!"

He added to the barrage of fire as the Goliath roared again. It snapped the final cable and leapt away from them. The first survivor screamed as it landed beside him, darting out from behind his boxes to try and get away. It lashed its tail, tossing the crates and the colonist through the air. The hunters had to dodge backwards to avoid the cloud of broken wood. It followed up with a blast of fire, igniting the debris and the colonist.

Bucket was moving to the side, trying to get a better line of sight on the monster, when he got the transmission. "Evac ship!" He called.

Above them, the evac shuttle swooped into the canyon and slowed to a hover over the platform. It sat there in silence for a moment before it opened communications to them.

"This is Ebonstar rescue shuttle HS-826, responding to an emergency signal. Please deactivate the energy shield so we may retrieve survivors."

"I'm afraid we can't do that," Bucket said as he dodged a boulder, "If we drop it now, the monster in here will certainly go on to cause more work for you."

There was a pause. "Acknowledged. Kill that son-of-a-bitch. We'll grab the survivors once you drop the dome."

As if on cue, the dome flickered and vanished. The Goliath tried to turn and run, only for more harpoons to cut its flight short. The platform sat just a few meters away, the orange light now shining it to the bottom of the evac shuttle. The first survivor they had found was the first to make a run for it, shoving Lazarus away as he tried to treat his burns and running for the platform.

The Goliath saw his motion and reacted, blasting fire at the running figure. He screamed and stumbled, collapsing on the platform. It glowed blue beneath him as he tried to rise before pulsing upward. The colonist shot up into the reception port on the underside of the ship.

The soldier went next. Now aware of the purpose of the platform, the Goliath made more of an effort to stop her. It lunged at her, pinning her against the ground with one claw and raising the other in preparation to shred her into pieces. It was interrupted as Bucket and Lazarus targeted its head, disorienting it and causing it to stagger back in pain. The soldier rolled out from under it and used a jetpack burst to carry herself onto the platform.

As she shot into the air behind the monster, the final colonist made his move. He ran to circle around the Goliath from behind while the hunters distracted it. It was a good plan and it would have worked. But the Goliath had its own plan. It raised a claw and stiffened its fingers before bringing them down to stab into the center of the platform. It punched through the metal plates like tinfoil, then dragged its arm to the side. The result was a deep gouge across the platform. The lights flickered and died, the orange column vanishing, as the platform shut down.

The final colonist tried to reverse directions, but the Goliath was already moving. It snapped the remaining cables with one blow and leapt away from the hunters. It collided with the unfortunate man in midair, tossing him along its trajectory. As it landed, it took a brief second to seize him in its claw before leaping again.

"Ruva, after it!" Maggie yelled.

The group took off after the creature, trying to keep it in sight. Bucket and Lazarus shot after it, but its speed and the terrain made it hard to get a shot. Within a minute, it had lost them in the caves. Around the same time, the locator of the colonist it had abducted vanished.

"This is an unpleasant turn of events." Lazarus said.

"Unpleasant," Hyde snorted, "It's right fucked it what it is."

Their conversation stopped as a loud howl echoed through the area. Maggie looked away from the group at the sound. "It's letting us know it's stronger."

Bucket looked at her, then back at the group. "Our original missions till remains. We should retrieve as many colonists as possible." He gestured to the evac shuttle that still hovered above for emphasis.

"How're we gonna do that when the platform's fucked?" Hyde asked incredulously.

Bucket's eye unfocused for a minute as he connected to the Ebonstar database. "There are backup platforms." He replied. New icons appeared on their HUDs. "We can use those."

Maggie sighed. "Alright. Let's go."

They took off towards the large acid lake to the east, keeping an eye on the emergency signals. They found some of the survivors, Lazarus healing those who were injured. Others vanished from the display. By the time they got to their last known locations, all that was left were stains on the ground.

Maggie cursed as she looked around from atop the secondary satellite relay. The monster was remaining just out of sight, picking off the survivors just far enough away that they couldn't get there in time and devouring the body.

A thought occurred to her, triggered by past experiences. She looked down from her perch at the other hunters by the side of the acid pool. Four colonists huddled around them, the only ones they could save. "Hyde," She called down, "Come with me. The rest of you get to the evac point."

She jetted away without bothering to check if they were doing what she said. A few moments later she heard the dull roar of Hyde's jetpack as he caught up to her.

"So what're we doin'?" He asked.

"I remembered something."

"Well whoop dee fuckin' do. Why's that important?"

She looked over her shoulder at him. "Because it's bad if I'm right."

The terrain below them seemed familiar now. Maggie checked her map as a reference. Yes, this was the area they had passed through with the first soldier they had rescued. She changed the angle of her flight and descended to the ground as they approached their destination.

She landed in the clearing they had fought the reavers in. Hyde landed next to her, while Daisy ran up behind them. "Damn." She muttered.

The clearing was empty. There were no carcasses from then animals they had killed, just a few sparse fragments of bone scattered on the rust colored dirt. And going right through the middle of it was a set of tracks. Monster tracks.

"So what's this then?" Hyde asked.

Maggie ignored him, turning on her heel. "We have to get back to the others."

She hadn't even left the ground when a howl ripped through the air, echoing through the caves and canyons. Hyde looked up, trying to determine its direction of origin. "That means it's bigger now right?"

Maggie nodded. "The trick's to be comfortable with who you are mate!" Hyde yelled at the sky, "Not go changing all the fuckin' time!" Maggie almost smiled. Almost.

* * *

In a different set of canyons, the Goliath pushed itself upright. It flexed its claws, feeling the pain fade as it adjusted to its new size and strength. It sniffed the air, searching for signs of prey. Nothing. It growled quietly and began walking, its new size shaking the ground with every footstep.

The size difference was mildly annoying. Its new bulk made movements slower, while the height and length of the limbs meant smaller movements were now more effective. It adjusted quickly, falling into an easy lope. Smaller creatures scattered at its passing but it ignored them. They were not important.

Leaping would have been far faster, but walking was less obtrusive. It sniffed again, searching for prey. It didn't smell them, but it was something close. It lumbered past a building and onto a flat stretch of dirt. There on the ground were tiny indentations in the soil, marked with the fading scent of prey. It turned its head, its eyesight allowing it to pick out the tracks in the soil.

Something else caught its attention. It raised its gaze to the sky, looking at a pillar of orange light. It remembered that from the previous battle, remembered the prey's suicidal attempts to get to it. The Goliath subconsciously took note of the distance of the light, as well as surrounding areas. Its memories melded together, determining its location and the fastest route there.

It turned and ran back into the caves. If the prey followed their path, its route could cut them off. Its mandibles twitched in anticipation of food. Yes, it was sure the prey would follow the path. And when they got to the end, it would be there.

* * *

Bucket and Lazarus ran alongside a group of colonists. They lagged behind, unused to fleeing through the wilderness. Bucket wondered briefly if the reason none of them were soldiers was because the monster had specifically targeted those who could fight back. He discarded the idea soon after. There would be plenty of time to contemplate that on the ship. For now, he had to focus on getting them to safety.

"We are almost there!" He called out. They could see the platform ahead, sitting at the base of a cliff. A few reavers clustered around it, transfixed by the light, but they would be easy to deal with. The evac shuttle was already there, hovering over the beam in anticipation of passengers. The sight of their goal spurred the colonists on, running just a little faster to the platform. Naturally, it all went wrong.

A series of loud thudding noises sounded echoed through the area. The colonists slowed, looking around fearfully for the source of the noise. The source soon began apparent as the Goliath lumbered around a rock formation.

The monster stood more than half again as tall as when the hunters had first encountered it, towering over the colonists. Jagged spines protruded from its back, far larger than those of the first Goliath they had encountered. Its earlier wounds had healed, marring its skin with patches of scar tissue. It glowed bright red, the color pulsing with some unknown force.

The colonists tried to scrabble back from the creature as it roared. A wave of fire accompanied the noise, washing over the helpless humans. Some managed to dodge away with only minor burns, but one was caught in the conflagration. He fell screaming to the ground, trying to roll in the dirt to smother the fire. The Goliath stomped forward, ignoring the helpless human except to deliberately step on him as it advanced. His screams fell silent as he was crushed underfoot by the weight of the monster.

The death jolted the others into fearful action. They scattered away from the monster while some fired blindly towards it. The Goliath ignored their small arms fire, instead heading straight for the hunters.

"Deploying defensive line!" Bucket called as he tossed down a pair of turrets. Lazarus opened fire on the Goliath from his perch atop a plateau. He didn't try to rescue the fallen colonist. Not even the Lazarus device could revive a smear.

The Goliath dropped to all fours and barreled forward, toppling the plants that obstructed it. Bucket flew up and back as it entered the range of his turrets. They opened fire on the monster, spraying it with bullets. It ignored them as it came to a stop and rose onto its hind legs. It twisted suddenly and struck out with its head. A colonist who had been trying to fly over it to the evac point was caught unaware and its jaws closed around her lower body. It bit down and bone crunched. Her torso fell from its mouth as it gulped down the lower half.

Bucket fired his missile launched, aiming the laser at its head. The first few projectiles struck home, exploding on the bony plates of its skull. It roared and leapt towards him, one claw upraised to crush him as it landed. Bucket dodged to the side as it crashed down, narrowly avoiding the blow. It whirled towards him, blasting him with a torrent of fire. He jetted to the side, putting a large stalagmite between him and the monster.

The Goliath simply backhanded the stone formation. It shattered beneath the blow and its claw continued on to strike Bucket. The robot was tossed back and rolled to a stop amid the rocky rubble. The monster stepped over the stone stump and pried a boulder out of the ground as Bucket tried to rise. It brought the rock crashing down on the robot, pinning him between the rock and the ground.

The Goliath lifted the stone to examine the result. Bucket was a mess of crushed plating and sparking wires. His head rotated feebly to face the Goliath.

"Backing up mind-state." He managed to sputter from his broken voice box.

Satisfied, the Goliath turned away from the ruined robot. It cast its gaze over the area and noted a colonist attempting to flee. It hurtled the boulder after him, then moved towards more important prey. The stone caught him in midair, breaking both the jetpack and his spine. Trapped against the stone, he followed its path and fell into an acid pool.

The final colonist stepped onto the platform and shot upward into the rescue shuttle. Lazarus ignored her good fortune and continued to shoot the monster. It had shrugged off the damage before, but that didn't stop him from trying. He didn't aim at the head, which was protected by heavy bone armor, but at its neck. He had hoped to strike an artery or the windpipe, but it never seemed to suffer any actual wounds. It turned towards him, fire panting from its mouth. Lazarus prepared to launch himself from the plateau as it tensed its legs. Before either of them could make a move, a hail of bullets struck it from behind.

The Goliath whirled around to see the other hunters approaching. It leapt towards them immediately, unwilling to give them the chance to lay down more traps. Maggie and Hyde darted to the sides as it landed between them. Daisy yelped and tried to flee but a swipe from its tail sent her tumbling away, the electronics of her harness crackling from the damage.

"You stay away from my dog!" Maggie yelled, firing at the monster.

It charged after her as she retreated into a small canyon formed between two rock formations. As it passed the canyon mouth, a harpoon trap activated and stabbed into its back. It barely glanced at it, but simply brought its tail crashing down on the trap. Between the sheer mass of the tail and the jagged spines protruding from it, the trap was reduced to scrap metal.

Hyde followed after it, trying to draw its attention with fire from his minigun. Lazarus joined him, firing into its lower back where the dense bone spikes didn't protect it. Hyde stopped shooting long enough to toss a gas grenade, which sailed over the beast's head to land between it and Maggie. It detonated, creating a thick green cloud.

As before, the poisonous gas disoriented the monster as it burned its lungs and eyes. Unlike before, there was an unintended side effect. Maggie staggered back, dropping her gun as she coughed, trying to clear her lungs of the poison. The monster noticed her faltering and ignored its own pain to lunge at her.

Blinded and disoriented, Maggie wasn't able to dodge. The first blow tossed her to the ground, several ribs cracking under the force. The second was a slash, claws half-curled. It caught her in the side, tearing through her light armor into the flesh beneath.

The Goliath turned away from the wounded woman, picking up another boulder as it did so. Lazarus dodged to the side as the boulder crashed into the ground next to him. The dust and embers blinded him for a crucial second. When he opened his eyes again, the Goliath was landing in front of him. He activated his jetpack and flew back, only for a swipe to toss him off course. His armor absorbed the worst of the blow, but the Goliath moved in pursuit. He activated his personal cloak in response, the device erasing him from sight and disrupting the scent chemicals the monster would have used to track him.

The Goliath looked around in confusion as its prey vanished. Hyde soon recaptured its attention, opening up with his minigun. "Hey fuckface!" He yelled, "Come and get some!"

The Goliath roared and leapt into the air, its arc carrying it to land on the hunter. He activated his personal shield just before it landed, absorbing the kinetic force of the impact. Hyde discarded the minigun and switched to the flamethrower, blasting the Goliath at point-blank range. The Golaith responded by hammering its fists down on him. The shield held against the onslaught.

The Goliath didn't let up. Hyde felt a glimmer of fear as he realized that he would be at its mercy the second the shield dropped without any escape. He activated his jetpack and tried to dodge to the side, but the Goliath held out its arms to block his movements. In desperation he dropped a toxic grenade at his own feet, hoping to use it as a smokescreen. The Goliath ignored it, even as the glow faded from its skin, staying as close to Hyde as it could.

Then the shield ran out. The Goliath struck in almost the same moment. It brought its fist down on Hyde like a massive ape, slamming him into the ground. Hyde's armor absorbed the brunt of the blow, but was left severely dented. He didn't get a chance to rise before it struck again. The Goliath repeated the process, crushing Hyde between its fists and the ground until he stopped trying to escape.

It stepped back from the body and sniffed the air. Still no sign of Lazarus. It did notice something by one of the bodies though. It lumbered back towards Maggie. Daisy stood over her, futilely licking her master. She fulfilled her training well, but with the Salveron trauma unit built into her harness broken, it didn't do anything. She noticed the monster and yelped in fear.

The Goliath caught up with her in a few steps as she limped away. It grabbed her with one massive claw before tossing her into a wall. As the limp trapjaw fell to the ground, the Goliath roared its victory to the sky.

It leapt away, heading in the direction of the hunter's landing site. A moment later the air above Maggie warped and Lazarus became visible. He knelt next to the trapper's body and flexed his gloved hand. A large central diode lit up in his palm, followed by accompanying lights on his fingertips. "Arise!" He commanded, pressing his palm over her heart.

The light surged and vanished. For a brief moment, the delicate nervous system could be seen through the skin, lit from within by blue lightning. Then Maggie sat up gasping for air. "How… What…"

Lazarus ignored her and walked over to Daisy. He repeated the process and a moment later Daisy was bounding to her feet. "Look at her," Lazarus commented, "Happy to be alive! No awareness, no fear of what she has gone through."

"And what," Maggie asked, regaining control over her breathing, "Did she go through?"

"She died of course." Lazarus replied matter-of-factly. "As did you."

He took to the air for a moment to alight next to Hyde. He repeated the process, leaning back as he did so. The big man's eye snapped open and his arm reflexively snapped out to punch the space where Lazarus's head would have been. Hyde blinked and looked at him.

"Sorry mate," He said with a grin that made it clear he wasn't sorry at all, "Reflexes."

"We were dead." Maggie said in disbelief.

"Yes."

"And the colonists?" She asked.

Lazarus hesitated. "Gone. There are some things even I cannot fix."

Maggie sighed. "The monster?"

A roar echoed across the landscape in response, followed by an explosion. Their gaze turned to the main building they had landed by as a series of subsequent detonations ripped it apart.

"Victorious," Lazarus said, "Or dead. Either way, we should leave."

Maggie nodded, activating her earpiece. "Bucket, come pick us up."

The dropship roared into view from beyond the canyon walls. "On my way. Please grab my shell if you don't mind. I would rather not have to assemble a new one."

"Fuck me." Hyde groaned as the dropship began to lower the gondola. "First drop and we lost. Not a great start to this whole business is it?"

Maggie ignored him, but her tightening jaw showed she still heard. They dragged Bucket's broken body onto the platform and began to ascend. Maggie looked towards the burning building as they rose. Looking into the fire, she could almost swear it was a different building, on a different world. It didn't matter now. The doors sealed shut beneath them. Whatever the world, they all burned the same.

* * *

The Goliath ran through the canyons. Its back still ached from where it had barely escaped the exploding building, but it ignored the pain. Instead, it focused on the future. It could sense them out there. Dozens, hundreds of energy signatures, each burning like a beacon to its ethereal senses. Where there were sources, there was prey. It could sense something else as well. Its packmates, each traveling as it was, hunting. There were many of them, though far fewer than the energy sources. The Goliath ran on. There was much hunting left to do.

* * *

 **AN:** Look at this, it's not dead! I don't intend to let this story die, but long story short I bit off a significant amount more than I could easily chew. Rather than trying to reset my goals to something more manageable, I've kept going with my original plan. Since that plan involves going beyond the one mission a day schedule established by Evacuation mode, as well as including the new hunters and the story after the evacuation, it's a lengthy process. Stacked on top of that, there's no way of conveniently accessing all the dialogue in the game. Since that's our only link to true canon and some of those conversations are important to the story, it's slow going. So updates will probably be slow, but they'll be there.

Addressing some other stuff:

1) Yes I'm using the Legacy Evolve gear. While the Stage 2 equipment is better for gameplay, this is better story-wise.

2) If you're noticing a shift when I'm writing combat, it's because my writing style is more naturally inclined to writing from the monster's side. Evolve combat involves rapid dialogue, meant to keep your teammates appraised of what you're doing. In written format, it's much more clunky to pause every few seconds for them to talk. Monster's don't have to talk, and they're much cooler.

3) Yes, I bumped the rating up to M. I'd planned to do that once I got to Emet, but then I wrote combat for the monster. There's... not a lot of neat options for something that kills with its bare claws.

And in response to feedback from wolf: Yes, Maggie is the trapper in the tutorial. Why did I have Griffin? I've followed Evolve since its early days, and in its initial development Griffin was the Tier 1 trapper. Having him with the other Tier 1 hunters against the Tier 1 monster for the first fight of the story was my way of paying tribute to that.

Please leave reviews! I depend on those to know what I'm doing right and wrong, so all feedback is appreciated.


End file.
